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self in any one congregation for the space of a single year. Whitefield had discernment to mark the extent of his resources.

Permanent settlement in the ministry is endangered, not only by a loss of interest which is thus experienced, and by loss of respect and confidence on the part of the people, where the ministrations of the uneducated are long continued; "but if such a minister attempts to continue and as is often the case, attemps to retrieve the past deficiences of his education, by great and special effort in his preparations to preach, while at the same time he sustains the great, various and arduous duties of his office, he is a dead man! he will sink in hopeless infirmity or a premature grave." Or if, in the language of the experienced and intelligent writer first quoted, "he attempts to bring up all his arrears by incessant study, while he saves his life by neglect of pastoral duties, though he should become a tolerable preacher, he is a dead man in another respect, there will be a sad failure in the amount of his usefulness."

We have but one more general argument to advance at this time in favor of a thoroughly educated ministry, and to this we have before briefly alluded. It is the great and growing demand for ministerial labor. In the Congregational and Presbyterian churches alone, there are now more than fifteen hundred vacant congregations, and half as many more might be at once formed within our country, if ministers could be found to go forth and organize them. In proportion to the intelligence and pious efficiency of the ministry, will be the demand for its labors; that is, the ministry will be valued and sought for, in proportion to its intelligence and piety, and its number will increase as this demand becomes more and more pressing. Not only so, but the number of ministers will be greatly increased or diminished by the spirit of ministers. As they become active, prominent, influential men; men sought for and valued by the community (and we need not say that uneducated men, will not as a general thing find this the case in respect to them) young men will be easily induced to turn their attention to the ministry-they will regard the profession, not only as respectable but useful, securing a wide range of influence, which rightly directed is usefulness itself. Let the spirit of the ministry be what it ought to be, and that spirit will increase the number of ministers beyond any other human power whatever. Nor are unholy feelings appealed to, in this case. To illustrate, what is here intended: The men who have been sent abroad as missionaries to foreign lands, have been well educated men-men of enlarged and mature minds-and what

has been the result? They have carried influence with them. To the once despised cause of the missionary, they have given a dignity and a charm too: they have opened the way for more extended enterprize and exertion. Their success has rendered foreign and heathen lands, fields of promise as to influence and usefulness. Young men now feel, that they are not lost to the church and the world, by engaging in missionary labors; and multitudes stand ready to enter with all their hearts on this life of foreign exertion. What would have been the result, if these pioneers in the missionary cause, had been half educated and ordinary men? They had secured, comparatively a small amount of influence the formidable difficul ties of foreign languages, had not so easily yielded before them they could not, so, like the apostles, have accommodated themselves to the manners and customs of Pagan nations:the Bible had not so soon and so extensively been translated into new and different dialects; and of course the grand amount of usefulness had been vastly curtailed:-the churches at home had been discouraged and relaxed exertion :-the missionaries abroad had been disheartened and returned with reports like the men of Israel sent to spy out the land of promise ;-Satan had triumphed over their defeat, and few, if any, had arisen to fill their places, vacated by death and desertion. But now, there is no want of men for missionaries: or, rather, though more are wanted, many are found ready to become such. No difficulties of distance, nor deadly climates can intimidate and keep back the sons of the church. Here is opened a field of glorious warfare, consecrated by the piety, honored by the intelligence and enriched by the success of those endeared men, who first explored it. Young men stand ready, qualified, and anxious to go, waiting for the church to send them. So, let any department of ministerial labor be shown to be respectable, influential and useful, and as long as there is piety in the church, her sons will be pressing into it, in constantly increased numbers. But, let there be an inactive, uneducated, ordinary ministry, whom the people do not demand and will not employ, and the impression is at once given, that the profession is crowded and few will look forward with confidence of employment and success if they enter it. One unsuccessful minister will keep back ten who might have been burning and shining lights in the church; while one, elevated and successful champion of the cross will lead the way for a hundred more, anxious to secure his influence and to press upon his footsteps. Let us place the ministry, where God, both in his ancient and new economy hath placed it, preeminent, in intel

ligence, influence, dignity and piety, and a few years would consecrate a tithe of all our young men, if the world demanded it, to the service of Christ in the gospel ministry.

We have but one additional suggestion, which is the infinite importance of sustaining and elevating the CHARACTER of the ministry. As says a judicious writer-"it is not mere addition to our numbers, a large list of ministers of any sort, that we need, but more ministers of the right stamp; men fitted by the union of holy zeal, sound wisdom and solid knowledge, to enlighten, council, guide and bless the church; and if they be essentially wanting in the qualifications necessary for this purpose, they had better be in any other profession, than that of the ministry. The truth is, if we had but half our present number of ministers, yet if that half, were all men of primitive apostolic spirit, our beloved church and country, would be far more richly blessed than they are at this hour." He that gives one minister to the church, well qualified, will on the whole, give a greater amount of ministerial influence, than he who gives ten of an ordinary character, and to say nothing as to the positive injury such men may do to the cause they labor to advance, no doubt the amount of positive good of one well qualified man, will more than equal all that their combined agency will secure. Paul carried his influence as wide and reaped a measure of success, as great perhaps, as all the apostles beside; and who will say that his learning was not a powerful aid in his labors? It is ministerial influence that is wanted, and that influence is by no means increased necessarily, as the number of ministers is augmented-the very contrary may be the case, and will be the case, if the increase is not of the right character. Burden the church with a multitude of unqualified, inefficient, unsuccessful ministers, and the very incubus of death is on her bosom.

Let it be the prayer and effort of the church, that we may have men like Paul, Luther, Knox, Edwards, Martyn, and Gordon Hall; and the ranks of her ministry would soon be full. The sweet, clear sound of the gospel trumpet, would speedily be heard on all the hills and through all the valleys of our fallen world, and the jubilee of its emancipation would be sung in more than prophetic raptures.

E.

[The following note seems to imply the presumption of our probable unwillingness to do what it requests. It indicates, withal, a little disposition to carry things by the force of a name. With perfect respect, however, we can assure Mr. Tappan and the William Penn too who comes thus endorsed, that there is no occasion. We are not constrained, but cheerfully comply with the request of the note: nay, we are glad if the article we published in our July No. has had the effect to call forth so definite and distinct an expression of the views of Abolitionists, as is contained in the communication following. We are of no party, as such, and where there is any thing to discuss, we would by all means have it discussed. The truth is great and will prevail, sweep where it may. Only be candid, keep cool and preserve discretion, and there is no danger. The article will of course speak for itself.]

To the Editor of the Spirit of the Pilgrims.

The enclosed communication I trust will find an early place in your columns. Justice to those denominated Abolitionists entitles them to be heard, and that the reasons why they cannot unite with Colonizationists should be stated through the medium of your very respectable publication, as the inquiry has there been made.

N. York, Sept. 9, 1833.

Respectfully yours,
ARTHUR TAPPAN.

UNION OF COLONIZATIONISTS AND ABOLITIONISTS."

Mr. Editor, In the July number of your valuable periodical, I notice an article designed to show the utility, the practicability, and the duty of union between the Colonizationists and Abolitionists. I cordially approve and would heartily maintain a part of the sentiments contained in the article.-I believe that we should, at all times, " maintain the law of love in the heart and on the tongue;" and also that "the present crisis calls evidently for moderation, discretion, and kindness in every thing." It is likewise undeniable that there are wise and good men, in the ranks of both the parties; and equally so that their union "as coadjutors in a common cause" the emancipation of the enslaved, and the elevation of the degraded, is an important and practicable duty.-It is also true, as the writer assumes, at the outset, that in order to effect so desirable a union, it is necessary to institute a critical inquiry into "the exact state of the case between colonization and abolition or anti-slavery," as they exist in the minds and operations of their adherants in this country; or as they may be conceived to exist.

With the hope of throwing some light on the object of this inquiry, the following remarks are submitted.-Being, myself, one of that class of your readers who are called Abolitionists and, believing that many of my brethren who hold the same views, agree with me and with you in desiring such an union, and in seeking the diffusion of light as the means of cementing it;

will, with your leave, proceed to specify some of the obstacles which I suppose Abolitionists find, or think they find, in the way of a co-operation between themselves and the Colonizationists. And I do it in the full assurance that if these obstacles can be removed, surmounted, or shown to exist only in imagination or misapprehension, there will be no reluctance on the part of Abolitionists in general to co-operate with Colonizationists; at least so far as to "press abolition, and not seek to destroy the Colonizationist," that is-on condition of a recip rocity of pacification, an item which it is to be presumed, the writer in your July number, did not intentionally omit to recommend."

1. In the first place, then, I suppose Abolitionists have found a difficulty in forming anti-slavery societies, and in "pressing abolition," from the fact that good men, almost every where have been led to suppose that the Colonization Society is sufficient, of itself, to effect emancipation as speedily as it is safe and practicable to do it. This has been abundantly taught by the agents and publications of the society. And justso far as it is believed, just so far that belief stands an insuperable barrier to the formation of an anti-slavery society. or any anti-slavery effort, distinct from colonization. Now every abolitionist (if the term is to be used at all, in distinction from colonizationist) believes, of course, that the Colonization Society is not sufficient for this end; otherwise he would be simply a Colonizationist, and not an Abolitionist, in any distinctive sense of that term.-Unless he relinquishes his belief that emancipation may be safely and speedily effected, without the slow process of Colonization, (which he believes to be far distant, not to say absolutely hopeless, in its efficacy,) he must give his reasons for this opinion, before he can possibly produce a single direct effort for present emancipation. From the very nature of the case, therefore, Abolitionists are obliged to teach and maintain that Colonization is not a sufficient remedy for slavery just as the advocates of total abstinence are obliged to maintain and teach that all other remedies for intemperance are insufficient. But to maintain and teach this, is generally considered and treated as opposing the Colonization Society.Perhaps it is so.-But the question now is, how can it be avoided by Abolitionists, without their ceasing to "press abolition?"

2. The advocates of a direct and present abolition are not only obliged to encounter the impression that Colonization is

"Let the Abolitionist press abolition, and not seek to destroy the Colonizationist; and the Colonizationist, let him press still harder, Colonization, since that is what he is engaged in." p. 400.

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