The Presbyterian Education Society, organized in 1818, and now Auxiliary to the American Education Society, consists chiefly of individual members of the Presbyterian Church, living in the states of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The number of young men, patronized by this society, has recently exceeded one hundred a year. It includes the Western Education Society of the state of New York, which is another very important insti

tution.

There are numerous minor auxiliary associations, scattered over the country, on which the great cause very much depends. There are, we believe, some important associations for charitable Education in the Western States, the names and dates of which are not at our hand. So far as the Presbyterian Church extends, the Presbyteries are generally the medium of fulfilling this duty. Every Presbytery in the United States,-of which there are ninety two-is virtually an Education Society for its own limits. And there are very few Presbyteries which have not more or less young men in a course of education.

The acknowledged magnitude of this subject-the great disadvantage of scattered, unconcentrated effort-and the necessity of an organized and systematic operation, with one centre and one soul, not only for the general purposes of economy, but for the greater perfection of the whole plan, and for greater efficiency in accomplishing it gave rise to the American Education Society, in 1815. The principles, on which this Society was organized-its enlarged and liberal policy-its wise provisions against abuse and perversion -together with its bold and efficient occupation of the field of its enterprise-have greatly commended it to the public confidence.

As the American Education Society is the largest and most important institution of this class, that has sprung up in our country, and, so far as we know, in the present age;-as it has fairly taken the lead in this great enterprize, formed a system peculiarly its own, and gone into efficient operation upon a very extended plan-thus challenging public scrutiny, and depending upon the public patronage; it is due to such an undertaking, to examine its principles, and to weigh in the balance of truth and justice the results it has attained.

The results of the operations of the American Education Society may be divided into two classes,-direct and indirect. Its direct results comprehend the number of young men patronized, the number of additional ministers brought into the field, and the amount of their usefulness. The number of men patronized by the American Education Society, since its organization in 1815, we believe exceeds one thousand;-the number actually introduced into the ministry about three hundred, including some forty or fifty who are now on the eve of engaging publicly in the great

work. Between four and five hundred are in the different stages of their education, and a large portion of these far advanced.

It would be very difficult, nay impossible, to ascertain with any exactness, how many of these young men would have been forever debarred from the Christian ministry, independent of the A. E. Society and its auxiliaries. Perhaps one fifth-or one third-or more. Whichsoever of these numbers we assume as the supposition, and even though it be much less than either of them, it is still sufficiently great in itself, and in its immediate and probable results, to constitute a subject of the deepest interest to a benevolent mind. To calculate the probable fruits of these extra labors, (in the present sense extra) both here and hereafter, in the temporal and eternal train of their consequences, is indeed grateful, cheering, congratulatory. If there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth;-let the Christian sit down and make a calculation on the following history:

"During the last year," say the A. E. Society, in August, 1829-" nearly one tenth of all the ordinations and installations in the United States which we could find mentioned in the public prints, were of former beneficiaries of this Society. From communications recently received, it is safe to conclude, that several thousands have professed religion within a few years under the ministry of men of this description. Many of them, if we may credit their own declarations, would not have been educated at all, or very imperfectly so, for the sacred office, had not this Society taken them by the hand, and assisted them on their way. One such minister, who was instrumental of several revivals of religion while in his course of education, and who has had the rare felicity of seeing five hundred members added to his church in two years, once said to the Secretary of the A. E. Society: Had it not been for the appeals which the Directors of your Society sent abroad, and the encouragement which they gave to indigent and pious young men, I know not that I should ever have been a minister."

It should be recollected, also, that several of the ordained missionaries of the American Board have been aided in their preparatory studies by the A. E. Society. Is it not fair to conclude, then, that converts are daily multiplying in Christian and pagan lands, and souls almost daily ascending to heaven, as a direct result of the operations of this Institution? And then to calculate the multiplication of these results into themselves, through the coming ages of this world, and through eternity-what an interesting and sublime spectacle! And then to look back, and view the actual and uninterrupted increase of this same original power, uttering upon the world continually the commencements of these selfaccumulating results, this again is no less grateful and cheering.

The A. E. Society, then, has actually brought into the field not a few laborers, who would otherwise never have entered on the sacred work; many such it now has under its patronage, in a course of preparation; and by its special inducements, it is perpetually operating upon the great community of pious and promising young men in the land, summoning them from that destination to which their indigence had consigned them, and bidding them, in the

name of Jesus Christ, "Go, work in my vineyard." And they rise, and go.

Such are some of the direct results of the institution and operations of the A. E. Society. Its indirect results are more numerous, more complicated, more difficult to be made palpable and to be appreciated; but not, perhaps, less important;—in many respects,

more so.

The example of the A. E. Society has operated on other sections of the church, and on other denominations of Christians, to excite them to engage, in earnest, in the same great and glorious enterprise. This single result is perhaps already, in all its branches, equal to the inherent power of the original Institution. We hope it will soon be vastly greater.

The general influence of this society, in awakening a missionary spirit, and in challenging the attention of the Christian public to the spiritual wants of our land and world, constitutes no inconsiderable part of the good which it has been the means, indirectly, of accomplishing.

Owing to the purifying influence it has been able to throw into the public Literary Institutions scattered over the land by means of its young men in a course of education, and by furnishing the more eligible candidates for the offices of instruction; a very manifest change for the better has already taken place in many of our academies and colleges.

The reciprocal action of the hallowed spirit of such an Institution, and of such an enterprise, upon its own immediate agents, upon its patrons, upon those whom it educates, upon its numerous branches and auxiliaries, and through them upon the Christian public generally, must necessarily be great and salutary.

The indirect influence of the A. E. Society in forming a public opinion, which will demand exemplary and devoted piety in the ministers of religion, is no inconsiderable item in this account. It has forced this subject upon the minds and hearts of Christians, till they cannot but see and feel its importance.

Among all the results of this Institution, that of introducing order and system into this important branch of Christian enterprise is, perhaps, one of the most valuable. Indeed, there is a strong probability, that the cause itself would have gone to wreck, without a redeeming influence of this kind. Every one who is even slightly acquainted with the history of this enterprise must know, that the forms under which it existed, soon after its importance began to be appreciated, and its appropriate spirit began to move, were in many respects very infelicitous, and extremely liable to disaster. Indeed, public confidence towards these efforts had already begun to decline, when the A. E. Society sprang into being, laid its hand upon the disconnected and dissolving materials, reduced them to order, and established a regular system of operation.

The last and most important result of the operations of this society, is the solution of the problem, whether a special and systematic effort of this sort can be carried forward to success and triumph. This question being now decided affirmatively before the world, a new and leading way is opened for the Christian Church to advance directly to the great work of evangelizing the nations. We say this is a new and leading way, at least, comparatively so. It is leading because the harvest cannot be gathered without laborers; and it is new, certainly, as a systematic enterprise. Heretofore the Christian world has depended upon seeming casualties for the supply of ministers of religion. It is now satisfactorily ascertained, that a prudential economy, of human structure, resting instrumentally on human sagacity and agency, is demanded and is necessary, in order to raise up an a dequate supply of qualified religious teachers. The general maxim,' Trust Providence,' has been, and still is, greatly abused. It is made a wicked apology for sloth and negligence. To trust Providence for the supply of ministers of the Gospel, without doing anything ourselves to raise them up, is profane and presumptuous. God, by his Spirit, is multiplying the materiel of the Christian ministry, in the greatest abundance; and it only remains for Christians to look up that materiel, and give it a fashion suited to so high a destination. The fashioning of it, instrumentally, is the work of man -the original production is of God.

We now proceed to a consideration of the principles of the A. E. Society, more especially, as they affect the character and prospects of those who receive its aid.

The financial economy of this Institution we have particularly examined, and with much satisfaction. Its constitutional provisions against abuse of powers and perversion of funds, are all that the past experience and present aspect of similar institutions could well suggest or demand, consistent with an investment of power adequate to the efficient action of such a body. For ourselves, we are willing and with us it is a maxim-to repose confidence, after selecting the most trustworthy agents of benevolent enterprise. It is impossible to do any thing with efficiency, and upon an extended plan, without such confidence. Nothing risked, nothing gained,' is as applicable to moral enterprise, as to schemes for amassing wealth. And we think, too, there is less hazard now, than formerly, in reposing trust for benevolent objects. For there is a spirit abroad in the Christian world, which loves to do good for its own sake; which has learned by experience, that it is more blessed to give than to receive ;' and nothing would so much afflict a benevolent mind, as the thought of falling back into the cold and heartless regions of selfishness. We are willing also to risk something in the belief, that the world is growing better; that trustworthy men, of pure and disinterested purpose, are becoming more common; that the difficulties of abusing public con

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fidence are multiplying on all sides; and that public opinion, exacting scrupulous fidelity in public servants, is constantly rising and increasing in its power. Standing, therefore, as we hope, on the eve of a renovated state of society, at the same time that we would throw in all convenient cautions and barriers against abuse of trust, we should deen it pusillanimous and wicked to embarrass and clog the operations of benevolent enterprise, and to subtract from their efficient power, simply because men have done wickedly, and may do so again. And further; we hold it as a principle, that no great and good design can ever be successfully conducted on an extended scale, such as the wants of man and the conversion of the world demand, without reposing a paramount degree of confidence in its official agents.

So long, therefore, as the A. E. Society, or any other benevolent institution, shall continue an annual expose of their internal history, and adventure their fundamental principles and most secret springs to public scrutiny, we are willing and glad to entrust them with all the funds they have any prospect of acquiring, for the sake of the good they are likely to accomplish.

It is an interesting feature of the A. E. Society, that it adopts young men into a filial relation, and in return for this privilege, requires of them a filial responsibility. The moral influence

of this principle, we conceive is very important and salutary. The subject of it, so far as this matter is concerned, is an orphan, and unable of himself to go forward in preparation for the work, which he professes to desire. He is confessedly the subject of actual indigence-feels his dependence-and without assistance from some quarter, must resign the object which is dearest to his heart. It is to relieve, encourage, and patronise such individuals, that the Education Society comes in. It takes them by the hand, tells them not to despair, and assures them of needful assistance. It cannot be concealed, that such is the condition of all suitable candidates for the patronage of Education Societies. It is this alone, which entitles them to aid.

To talk, therefore, of consulting a set of feelings, which cannot be supposed to exist in such cases, as some, in their reasonings upon this subject, have thought it necessary to do, is altogether out of the question. It is pecuniary dependence, and not independence, with which Education Societies have to do. And those who really need their patronage, and who would be benefitted by it, feel it to be a privilege and a favor. With them it is no trifling affair, that an Institution of such high consideration, and of such benevolent designs, should volunteer its assistance and guidance, at such a needful hour, and through such an eventful period.

In return for this kindness and patronage, the young men are required to render such an account of their means of support, independent of the Society under whose patronage they are, such renewed