promptly to the great work of providing for the religious instruction of an ignorant and degraded race, who are perishing for lack of spiritual knowledge, while they are labouring for your temporal comfort. Permit us to ask of Christian owners, Are your servants invited to participate in the offering up of the morning and evening sacrifice? and do you take due care that they be directed to the house of God on the Sabbath; and have you taken proper steps to secure for them suitable religious instruction when they get there? On this point we take great pleasure in quoting the very appropriate remarks of Mr. Pinkney.

'If judicial punishment, or merited execration, pursue the owner who fails to provide for their temporal wants, will no obloquy attend the neglect of their more important interests? Is there no room for apprehension of future responsibility, before a tribunal whose Judge has expressly directed the dissemination of his doctrines? Is it not prudent to inquire whether part of the blame may not attach to the owner, who withholds or neglects their instruction, in the only way our policy can permit, viz. by unfolding to their comprehension the simple doctrines of Christianity? Let it only be admitted that the Scriptures are true, and our conclusions appear undeniable. The Saviour's injunction that the Gospel should be preached to every creature, and the conversion and baptism of an Ethiopian eunuch by Philip, both prove that Christianity was designed for all complexions. The poverty which is inseparable from their condition, forms no bar to their obtaining the rich blessings of futurity.'

But it is to the southern churches that we must more especially direct our attention. That the various denominations of Christians have done something, we thankfully admit; and we are glad to be able to add, that of late they seem to be waking up to the importance of doing more. But, alas! we have done comparatively little. Much, very much, yet remains to be done. We have contributed liberally to the various benevolent and religious institutions, which have been operating on a large scale, either for domestic or foreign improvement; we have longed for the salvation of Hindoos, and Hottentots, and have given liberally of our substance to aid in accomplishing it,-while the negro, through whose sweat and labour we have derived this substance, has too often been suffered to languish in ignorance the most imbruted.

It has somehow or other, too, unfortunately happened, that among those who have mourned the moral wastes and desolations of the south, and have come hither to render fruitful those sterile fields, but very few have wept the spiritual wretchedness of the poor neglected negro. It is true that much may be accomplished by the labours of a stated or itinerant ministry; especially if the preachers be dead to the world, and fully alive to God and his work. But who among us is ready for this work? Who is willing to come down to the capacity of the slave? Who will exercise sufficient patience to follow him through all his doubts and

difficulties, and labour as hard and as meekly to remove his objections, as those of his better taught and more polished master? We beseech you, brethren, you who are pastors of churches, or labour on circuits, to wake up on this subject. Do you remember that God has committed these negroes to your care, and will require of you a strict account in the day when Christ demands the purchase of his passion? How much may you do in your regular and occasional visits; how very much if you are only watchful for opportunity.

But however much may be done by the labours of that ministry which is already established for the benefit of the whites, especially in those places where the black population is comparatively thin, there are other places, particularly among the large plantations in the swamps of the low country, where extraordinary arrangements are necessary. There must be men particularly designated for this work, men who will feel themselves charged with the spiritual interests of the slaves, men whom the blacks will regard as their preachers; and to whom the owners will look as the spiritual guides of their slaves. Here is a work which will require piety, prudence, patience, in no ordinary measure. He who would enter upon it efficiently, must be willing to feel himself in a good degree an exile from the pleasures of society. He must be willing to be looked down upon by the rich and great about him as a negro preacher. He must be content to take up his abode amidst fogs and death, and to trust God emphatically for every thing here and hereafter.

Again, he will find himself surrounded by men who look upon him with a suspicious eye, and who would rejoice over his fall, as though they had taken great spoil. Sometimes too, when the proprietor is well disposed, the missionary has to contend with the ignorance and malignity of a mean spirited and Christless overseer, who can find numerous opportunities of thwarting him in his plans. But, still farther; the preacher feels that it is his delight to publish all abroad the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ. But here, his field of labour is narrowed down to a few plantations; and even among them his principal work is found in catechising and exhortation. We must be satisfied to work gradually; our work must commend itself; so that even the man of the world must become its friend for his own interest's sake. Now, under all these views of the discouragements and difficulties of the work, where are the men who are willing to engage in it? Methinks we hear a goodly number starting from the different departments of the church, and saying, we are willing to sit down by the negro's cabin fire, and talk to him of Jesus and the resurrection. We are willing to bear any name or reproach; to dwell amidst fogs and death; and take God for our portion and heaven as our final home. Here we are, and only wait the voice of the church to bid us, and we go. Then we say to the church, Up quickly and send these men to their work.

We have stated already, that we hailed the delivery and publication of Mr. Pinkney's Address as having a very auspicious bearing upon the general interests of this glorious cause. We do this, not merely because of the sound views which it contains on this subject, but from the fact that it was delivered at the anniversary meeting of the Agricultural Society of South Carolina.' That it was by them approved, and its publication unanimously requested; and that it speedily went through at least two considerable editions. We view these facts as being very important; because they show that many of the most influential planters in the state are disposed to think on this important subject; and this we consider a great point gained. It shows, too, that practical planters are beginning to take correct views of the intimate connection between the moral character of the slave, and the prosperity of the owner. We cannot doubt therefore that the Address will exert a very happy influence on the great cause of the religious instruction of slaves. We believe the cause is gaining strength every year. The public mind is becoming more and more awake to its importance. The missions established by the South Carolina Conference in 1828, have been succeeding quite as well as was anticipated. The Georgia Conference has taken up the subject with spirit.. Other Conferences, in slave-holding states, are acting on the same principle, and appointing missionaries specially for the blacks. Other denominations, too, we think, are becoming more awake to this important work; and the whole aspect of affairs portends the dawn of a brighter day upon this too much neglected class of our population. And we even look forward with hopeful anticipation, to the time when a proper course of religious instruction for the slaves shall be deemed indispensable, by the planters of every neighbourhood.

We cannot finally take our leave of the Address before us, without thanking the Author for the lively interest he has taken in the success of this great work, which he has so earnestly and ably recommended. He was among the first, and has been one of the most steady and influential supporters of the very important missions established by the South Carolina Conference among the blacks of the low country. And whatever may be the result of these attempts, his exertions to promote their success will entitle him to the gratitude of every one who loves the cause of negro salvation.

ORIGINAL LETTERS OF BISHOP WHATCOAT.

[THE first of the following letters of Mr. Whatcoat was written on the same sheet with one from Mr. Asbury to his parents, which bears date Charleston, [S. C.,] Feb. 14, 1790.' The second appears also to have been written on a page of one of Mr. Asbury's

letters to his mother, and to have been cut from it. The address on the back of it, 'To Mrs. Elizabeth Asbury,' is in his hand writing. Mr. Whatcoat was elected and ordained Bishop at the General Conference held in Baltimore, in May, 1800. The intimate union which subsisted between him and Bishop Asbury is most pleasingly exhibited, as well in the fact of Mr. Whatcoat's uniting in Mr. Asbury's private correspondence with his mother, and on the same sheet, as in the strong and explicit declaration of Mr. Whatcoat himself. 'We are like David and Jonathan, united to live, travel, and labour together.'

It is a matter of great regret that so few memorials of Mr. Whatcoat are extant. From the few that do remain, as well as from the universal and uniform testimony of those who knew him in life, we believe him to have been one of the most holy and spiritual men of that or perhaps of any other age. As an illustration of those spiritual breathings which animate whatever fragments from his pen we have ever seen, we have the pleasure to rescue from oblivion the brief specimens which follow; and shall be much obliged to any of his surviving friends, or the representatives of deceased ones, who may enable us hereafter to add to the collection.]

To Joseph and Elizabeth Asbury.

MY DEAR FRIENDS,-May the dew of heaven fall richly on your grey heads, and honest hearts! May his Spirit be as a fountain of spiritual life in your souls! May it purge away the last and least remains of sin! May you be filled with love, with heaven, with God! O prove the virtue of redeeming blood, the power and comfort of the eternal Spirit. May heaven's glory beam forth upon your ripening souls. Perhaps you have not altogether forgot poor me, as I was with you when your son left his father's house, and I called upon you before I sailed for America. I have been traveling with your son eight or nine months. He has been as a brother and a father to me in this new world; and I rejoice to see the prosperity of Zion. Please to remember me to Edward Slater, John Negus, Jonathan Robinson, Frances Whitehead, &c, &c. May the good Lord bless you all. So prays your affectionate brother in Christ, R. WHATCOAT.

To my dear Sister, or Mother in Israel.

I, with your son, acknowledge the Hand Divine that has so marvellously prolonged his life, and restored his health, as well as my own. We are like David and Jonathan, united to live, travel, and labour together. But the best is that God is with us, and owns and blesses us, in our souls, bodies, and labours. After our Conference in the state of Delaware, [at Duck Creek, now Smyrna,] which was held the first of this month, [June, 1800,] such a time I

think I never saw before. The people scarcely left the preaching house day or night. Since then, I am informed the preacher proposed to take the names of those that chose to join society. One day one hundred and nine, and the next day six, came forward. We have just closed our Conference at New-York. We were owned [of the Lord] the other night.

Yours in love and esteem,

RICH'D WHATCOAT.

THE EDIFICATION OF THE CHURCH

PROMOTED BY A DIVINELY CALLED MINISTRY OF DIVERSIFIED TALENT.

From the Wesleyan Methodist Magazine.

PART FIRST. *

USING the old scholastic form of expression, the sentence with which I have headed the present paper furnishes the THESIS which I have undertaken to explain and establish. It contains two distinct propositions, to one of which I shall at present confine myself,-A divinely called ministry is necessary for the edification of the church.

I here use the term, divinely called, not in reference to any special ministration, or extraordinary ministers, required by the temporary exigencies of any portion of the catholic church of Christ, but in reference to ordinary ministers, and their ordinary ministrations. In exigent cases, the great Head of the church will not fail his people; and in such cases, the grand proof of the reality of the interference, and the specialty of the call, will not be found in the exhibition of miraculous power,-that belongs to the promulgators of a message from God in whole or in part new,-but in the conformity of doctrine and mode of teaching with the immutable, written records of the kingdom which cannot be moved; and in the Scripturally marked successes which result from the labours of the instruments who may be employed. By their fruits ye shall know them,' is the rule laid down by our Lord, when enforcing his solemn caution, 'Beware of false prophets.' When, therefore the Papists called on the Protestants to justify their secession by

* It may be proper to state, that the writer of the following remarks did not originally contemplate their extension to their present length. His design was simply to offer a few explanatory and practical observations on the necessity and value of diversified talent in the Christian ministry; and a few remarks on the divine call were only intended to be introductory to the other. But the subject grew under his hand, and he determined to devote a paper to it. He has endeavoured, not only to show that what are often, but erroneously considered as mere Methodistical opinions, are Scriptural, and that they place the ministry on its right foundation; but, likewise, that they are agreeable to the solemnly declared views of those devoted men of God, the English Reformers. The concluding observations will show that the subject is far from being one of barren speculation.