thoughts are once turned to the subject, | leaves them, in the free and untramelled

to see that there is wisdom in the apostolical view of the pastoral office in mission churches, and in their mode of bring- | ing forward a native ministry and training it for independent action.

It must be obvious, that the view just taken of this subject involves no danger to the future parity of the native ministry, considered in their relations to each other; for, in the nature of things, the missionary office is scarcely more succes. sive and communicable to the native pastors, than was the apostolical office to evangelists.

The point specially insisted on is this, that ministers of the gospel lose none of their ecclesiastical standing and liberty by engaging in the work of foreign missions. No plea for abridging their ecclesiastical liberties can be founded on the fact of their support coming from the churches at home; because the obligation of the churches to support missionaries, rests on precisely the same basis with the obligation of missionaries to become such. Both the service and the support are to be rendered as a duty owed to Christ. The one is no more voluntary, no more optional, no more a work of supererogation, than the other. Missionaries are no more objects of charity, or beneficiaries, than are pastors at home. Their labors as truly entitle them to a support from some quarter. When the reality of the missionary's call from the Head of the Church to go on a mission has been settled by competent and acknowledged testimony, an obligation arises and exists somewhere, to send him forth and support him. And after he has gone into the field, he can no more properly be starved out of his appropriate liberty by those to whom he looks for support, than he can be legislated out of it by those who direct his labors. Nor do missionaries become, in any servile sense, the servants of those who support them; they are not their hired servants, but their fellow-servants. Christ is their common spiritual Head, and he sends his missionaries forth a free ministry. And the Board seeks to accommodate itself to this principle in Christ's kingdom. "With great care it seeks out competent men as missionaries and worthy of confidence; and then sends them out under the broad commission of the great Head of the Church, to preach the gospel to every creature,-themselves free, to propagate a free Christianity in the field of their labors. With a scrupulous regard for the rights of the missionaries in this particular, it places them among the perishing heathen, to gather as many as possible into the fold of Christ, and there

exercise of their own judgment, under a due sense of accountability to Christ, to decide on the spot, in each particular case as it occurs, what is sufficient evidence of genuine conversion, and what is the proper and sufficient ground for the admission of the heathen convert to the privileges of the Christian church."'*

When the Committee come to treat of the checks and influences under which missionaries operate, it will be seen that this degree of liberty is compatible with as perfect a responsibility, as is attainable in the present state of human nature and of the world. But it is important to remark here, that this responsibility can never be perfectly enforced except by guarding the religious liberties of missionaries with the most scrupulous care. Men must be free, and must feel that they are free, in order to rise to the full capacity and dignity of moral agents, and be subjected to the full control of law, reason, and the moral sense. And, of all gospel ministers, the missionary among the heathen most needs to have his mind and spirit erect, and to feel that all good men are his brethren. This is necessary to the unity, peace, order and efficiency of every mission. The law of liberty is an all-pervading law in Christ's kingdom.

2. How the responsibility of Missionaries is secured.

So far as the Committee can rely on the experience of more than thirty years, they regard it as not less safe to concede ecclesiastical liberty to missionaries, than to pastors. And how eminently safe it has been at home, the last two centuries can testify. In each of the denominations of Christians represented in this Board, the understanding, conscience, and heart of ministers are supposed to operate with equal freedom in the performance of their spiritual duties; and it is the prevalent belief, in each of these denominations, that this liberty could not be advantageously diminished.

What the Prudential Committee are to show is this:- That foreign missionaries are subjected to similar controlling influences with pastors at home. These influences are exerted in the selection of missionaries; in their voluntary engagements; in the terms of their pecuniary support; in their mutual watchfulness over each other; and in the direct influence of truth upon their minds and hearts.

1. Missionaries are, in an important sense, selected for the work, and it thus

* Prof. William Smyth, of Bowdoin College.

comes to pass that they have, as a body, some ecclesiastical body; which body a trust-worthy character.

subjects him to as thorough an examination as if he were to settle as a pastor. He is not taken on trust from the Board, but his call to the missionary work is brought under a renewed investigation.

It is believed that the missionaries laboring in connection with this Board are equal, as to ministerial qualifications and character, to the body of pastors in either denomination represented in the Board, in any one of the States of the Union; and this fact is evidently one of great importance, in an inquiry as to the possibility of exerting a reasonable control over their proceedings.

The Board does not, indeed, extend a "call" to them, as churches do to those whom they would have for their pastors. This has sometimes been recommended, as preferable to the course now pursued. But few missionaries would be obtained in this way. The missionary spirit has not yet strong hold enough upon the churches, or upon the colleges and theological seminaries, for the adoption of such a plan. Were the responsibility to be thus taken from students and candidates for the ministry, and assumed by mission ary institutions, the young men in our theological schools would seldom be found in a state of mind or in circumstances to give an affirmative answer to a "call," by the time their characters and qualifications should have been sufficiently developed to warrant one. It is found to be better to lay the case before all, and leave the result to the providence and grace of God. Consecration to the foreign missionary work for life involves a somewhat peculiar experience of its own; and the ear-ings as a missionary, and to the ordaining lier and more thoroughly that experience is wrought in the soul, the better is the prospect of continuance and usefulness in the work of missions.

The Committee have been accustomed, generally, to wait for written offers from the candidates to go as missionaries under the direction of the Board. These are usually made sometime before the theological course of studies is completed, and are commonly preceded by personal conferences or an informal correspondence with the Secretaries. The offer is accompanied by testimonials from pastors, instructors in colleges and seminaries, and others. If the testimony be decisive and satisfactory, the individual is invited to visit the Missionary House in Boston. This arrangement is found useful and satisfactory to all parties. There is now, if there has not been before, a free conference with him as to his religious principles and experience, his social relations, his motives in choosing the missionary work, his adaptations and preferences with respect to a field of labor, and whatever else is important in determining the question of his appointment and designation. Should it now appear to he the candidate's duty not to engage in a foreign mission, it is generally easy to convince him of the fact, and his case does not proceed to any formal action on the part of the Committee. Where the duty to go is clear, an appointment follows. The candidate next seeks ordination, at his discretion, from

2. Missionaries come voluntarily under similar engagements with pastors at home.

The pastor's engagements are made to his church and people, to the body that ordains him, and, through that body, to the churches; in addition to his solemn and well-understood vows to his Lord and Master. The missionary's engagements are to the Board, acting in the way of a general superintendence over his proceed

body, and, through those bodies, to the community from which he is to derive his support; and he also makes explicit vows to his Divine Master.

He

The missionary engages, on accepting his appointment, to conform to the rules and regulations of the Board, the nature of which he is supposed distinctly to understand. He thus pledges himself, among other things, to be governed by the majority of votes in his mission, in regard to all questions that arise in their proceedings; the proceedings being subject to the revision of the Prudential Committee. comes, moreover, under certain other distinct and well-understood pledges: (1.) As to his manner of life; which is to be one of exemplary piety and devotion to his work. (2.) As to his teaching; which must be conformed to the evangelical doctrines generally received by the churches, and set forth in their well-known Confessions of Faith. And (3.) As to ecclesiastical usages; to which he must conform substantially as they prevail among the churches operating through the Board. He must hold to a parity among the clerical brethren of his mission. He must hold to the validity of infant baptism. He must admit only such to the Lord's Supper, as give credible evidence of faith in Christ. So far as his relation to the Board and his standing in the mission are concerned, he is of course not pledged to conform his proceedings to any other book of discipline than the New Testament. (To be continued.)

American Baptist Missionary Union.

PGHO KARENS OF MAULMAIN.

The inquiry is forced upon us, Will the | about $10,000 above the receipts of the Committee be empowered to carry into last half of the preceding year,-must be effect the plans of the coming year? and paid into the treasury in donations and to send at least an equal number of ad- legacies, within the remaining six months, ditional missionaries, besides supplying the to prevent an increase of debt, and to save places made vacant by disease and death? the missions from pecuniary embarrassThe present is the time to make this in- ment.” quiry. The manner of prosecuting our work the coming year, and the extent to which the missions shall be strengthened, will be determined substantially by the results of the ensuing six months. Will the friends of missions attest their approval of the sending out of new mission aries by providing within the next six months for the additional expenditure which such reinforcements involve? The inquiry is as vital as it is seasonable. Whatever the exigencies of the missions and the solicitude of the Committee to relieve them, and however constraining the motives to multiply the number of faithful missionaries, the Committee are powerless beyond the limits determined by the receipts into the treasury. If the monthly average receipts of the next six months be $10,000, then the missions can be reinforced, as above contemplated; if the average be less, by so much must missionaries be withholden. Will our readers weigh carefully the following statement of the Corresponding Secretary for the Home Department.

In a letter dated Maulmain, June 19, Mr. Moore says :-" Some scores of Karens have visited us. They appear very kind, and express much joy at the arrival of a new teacher. A few evenings since, sixteen Pgho chiefs called, but one of whom was a disciple. We had a very interesting interview with them. They remarked that they had heard a little about the new religion, and would love to hear more about it. When asked if they would become Christians, they replied, We are willing to hear about Christ,-then think about it. We wish to do what is best for ourselves and children.' Our hearts were much encouraged. Think of sixteen heathen chiefs visiting their teacher voluntarily, and expressing a wish to hear the word of life!"

BAPTISMS AMONG THE CHEROKEES.

In a letter dated Cherokee, Sept. 13, Mr. Jones says:-"I just mention, to the praise of our Redeemer's grace, that we have had the pleasure to bury in baptism on profession of their faith, since January last, ninety-six persons, including fourteen Creeks. None of these are included in my last report to you."

942,31

109,87

391,11