stroke of all, which leaves my affections bleeding, especially since I have known the necessity of the gospel, is the death of her to whom I was most nearly related, and who went to her changeless destiny, only a year before the missionary visited my nation.

What hope can I possibly entertain of their happiness? I have not forgotten our deep ignorance, and most painfully do I remember our deeper guilt. Oh they must have perished!* The mind of the old man began to labour, and his tongue to falter beneath the oppressive weight of his feelings. He hesitated for a moment, and resumed his seat.

* This appears to be the unanimous opinion of the converted heathen, respecting those who died before the gospel was proclaimed to them. "So that they are without excuse."

CHAPTER III.

SPEECH OF AN ENGLISHMAN.

THE chord of sympathy was touched, and many a heart responded to the deep emotions of the aged convert. There were those present, however, who looked upon their agitation as the offspring of ignorance.

Of this number were several who arose as by a simultaneous impulse, and desired the liberty to reply. They were all natives of Christian countries, though from different parts of Christendom. The floor was yielded to an inhabitant of Great Britain, whose age and wisdom qualified him to speak with authority, at least in his own country.

The difficulty, he observed, which has been urged by my brother from the East appears to me of easy solution. The most profound theologians of my native land believe that the command which has been quoted admits of only one interpretation, and that is found in its literal construction. But it must be evident to every reflecting mind, that as applied individually to ministers or to Christians, it could not be literally

obeyed. What minister could go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature?

In its application to the church at large, it can receive only a gradual accomplishment. If all who professed to love Christ, obeyed his laws, the gospel might be preached with nearly a consentaneous effort in every part of the world. But this is by no means the case. There is only a small proportion of nominal Christians, who manifest a becoming zeal for the Saviour's glory, and these few feel it their duty to exercise discretion in selecting such spheres of labour as promise the greatest results.

With a very few exceptions, the ministers in my country believe themselves bound to occupy the important stations at home. No other country appears to us to hold so prominent a place among the nations of the earth. Her name, her wealth, her science, her boundless influence, her numberless resources, give Great Britain a commanding superiority over the whole world; while her foreign colonies, her naval forces, and her extensive commerce, open channels of communication to every part of the globe.

Where, then, can the servants of Christ exercise their functions with such prospects of unlimited success as in this country? If they can preach only in one place at a time, what place could they

select of equal promise? Bring Great Britain under the influence of Christian principles, and the world would soon receive the gospel at her hands. For these reasons we cannot admit that the religion of Christ is powerless, or that his commands are neglected, merely because we have not abandoned our own country, and gone to preach the gospel to the heathen.

CHAPTER IV.

A CITIZEN of the United States of America was the next speaker. As the remarks of our venerable friend, said he, apply exclusively to the British isles, it devolves upon me to show the views which my countrymen and myself take of the particular passage under consideration.

As to its interpretation we are all agreed. We consider it our duty to make the conversion of the world the ultimate end of all our plans; but our views of the relative influence of countries by no means accord with those which have been advocated. It is our decided conviction that there is no country in which the gospel can be preached with such infallible prospects of benefit to the world as America.

Look, for instance, at the vast extent and surpassing capabilities of territory included within the limits of these states. Consider the unequalled increase of their population. Contemplate the exhaustless resources of national and individual wealth, which every year developes and amplifies.