churches, not only will much thus be done to supersede the necessity of the cumbrous police which is now thought to be essential to large cities, but by this means, and by this means only, can the divinely benevolent design of our Lord in regard to this part of the population of cities be accomplished, that they shall be blessed, or made happy, here and hereafter, through his gospel.

I come then to the question, The objects of this ministry, and the principles of operation in it, what are they? By giving such an answer as I may to these questions, something may perhaps be done to aid any one who is interested in the subject to decide, either respecting himself or another, whether he have the qualifications that are required for it.

First, then, let us look at the object of this ministry. What are they? What are their claims upon us? What are our responsibilities in regard to them?

I assume, and may I not? that the gospel of Christ is to be preached to all who shall be willing to hear it; and to the poorest and most ignorant, as well as to the wisest and richest of men. How, then, I would ask, are the great body of the poor of cities to be blessed through the gospel, or the religion of Christ? By the ministry which is established in the churches of cities? As our religion is now administered in these churches, this cannot be. In these churches, or religious societies, there are often more than two, and sometimes more than three hundred families, which demand the frequent personal attentions of their ministers. They demand also not only careful and laborious preparations for the public instructions of Sunday, but other

occasional, and it may be frequently recurring services, which require the retirement and study of the minister who would wisely and profitably discharge them. And yet, while no large city in Christendom has ever comprehended in its religious societies more than three fourths of its inhabitants; and while, in many cities, even a much larger proportion of their inhabitants has for ages been unconnected with any of their churches, or religious societies, the guilt of leaving this large number uncared for, with respect to their spiritual condition, their moral exposures, and the objects of the gospel concerning them, seems hardly to have occurred to the mind of the most zealous and philanthropic believers of the religion of Christ. Because each religious society has some who are poor among its members, and because we have been accustomed to the spectacle of well filled churches, and of quiet streets on Sundays, it has therefore been inferred, that all is well in regard to the means for the religious instruction of all. But it is now known, that even in our favored city, and the sun shines not on one containing an equal number of inhabitants in which better provision is made for religious, as well as for other instruction,—there are thousands who were under no pastoral care, and were in the way of no direct religious influences, till a special ministry was instituted for them. It is, then, for such as these, wherever they are to be found, that I would plead for a new, and a distinct ministry. It is for those, who, from the want of suitable attire, or from the frequency of their removals from one part of a city to another; or from the charge of young children whom they cannot leave; or from the pride which revolts from appearing

in a free seat; or from insensibility and indifference to all the interests and claims of religion; or from vice and recklessness; or from feebleness, or sickness, or old age, are seldom, and perhaps never, to be seen in our churches. And is not christian instruction as important for these classes of our fellow-beings, as it is for those who form our religious societies? And will it not, to a very great extent at least, if it can be wisely and affectionately administered to them, bring to them an inestimable blessing?

But I must speak more definitely of the specific objects of this ministry. I would say, then, that they may be divided into three classes. In the first class I would place the pastoral charge, and the religious instruction of the poor. These are its highest objects. In the second class I would comprehend all those offices of christian sympathy and kindness, which are called for by the various necessities and sufferings of the poor. These are indeed offices, which any christian friend might perform for them; for which the poor need a friend, and often know not where to look for one; and by performing which, the minister may not only communicate very great immediate relief and happiness, but incidentally be an instrument for the prevention of much evil, and even of advancing the highest objects of his office. And in the third class I would place the services which the minister may perform, by the communications he may make respecting poverty and the poor to the more favored classes; by the influences he may exert, in calling forth kindly and christian sentiments in these classes towards each other; and by the aid he may give in the various measures, both private

and public, which may be taken either for the remedy or the prevention of pauperism and crime. Let me say a few words respecting each of these departments of the service to which I wish to call public attention, and in which I am greatly desirous to engage a strong, and an extended interest.

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The objects of this ministry which belong to the first class, are, in truth, no other than those which our Lord announced as objects of his own ministry, when he applied to himself the language in which Isaiah had spoken of the long promised Messiah, 'The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach glad tidings to the poor.' A minister at large is to seek out, and to connect himself in this office with, as many as he can of the families of the poor who belong to no religious society, and are regularly visited by no minister. In these families he is to be a religious teacher, a christian pastor. These families are to constitute his flock, his charge. try, therefore, the whole body of the made, as they cannot otherwise be made, the objects of a christian interest. They are to be instructed in the principles of the christian faith, of a christian life, and of the christian salvation. Jesus Christ is to be made known to them in his character, his offices, his life and his death. His precepts, his promises, his warnings, his consolations, in all their comprehensiveness and simplicity, are to be brought distinctly before the minds, and addressed to the hearts, of the poorest, and even the most degraded and despised of our fellowbeings. If, then, it has been clearly proved that it is practicable, by this ministry, to extend this christian

instruction and care to multitudes, who otherwise would not receive them; if parents and children, who would otherwise be living in heathenish darkness, may be brought to open their minds to religious knowledge, and to put forth their efforts for a religious character; and if these objects are not to be attained but by the institution and maintenance of a ministry distinct from that of the religious congregations of a city, is it not a solemn duty of those who are dedicating themselves to the office of the christian ministry, to look to this among the other fields of labor which the gospel is opening before them? And then, too, are not the obligations of maintaining this ministry as unequivocal, and as imperative, as are those of supporting the ministry in our churches ?

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Direct religious instruction, however, forms but one, though without doubt the most important, department of this service. Objects of the second class are daily, and almost hourly forcing themselves upon our tention, and soliciting our care. The condition of the class of the poor which falls under the charge of a minister at large, is one which calls for almost every possible form and exercise of christian benevolence. I do not mean only, or principally, that they are experiencing almost every possible kind of physical want. Yet these wants must not, and by a mind which has any of the benevolence of the gospel cannot, be disregarded; for how can we hope to make religious impressions, or to exert religious influences upon the soul, while the half clad, shivering, starving body asks for fuel, or for food, or for a garment, as the greatest of blessings? But, even to meet these pressing necessi