missionary field is always to be regarded as one, THE WORLD; the terms Domestic and Foreign being understood as terms of locality, adopted for convenience. Domestic missions are those which are established within, and Foreign missions are those which are established without the territory of the United States."

The operations of this society have hitherto been very much blessed both in our western Territories and new States, and also in foreign lands. But it has been straitened for means. It is, however, promising to do more, and the plans of the society are formed in faith; and it is trusted that ere long this General Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church will call out the whole strength of the Church in sustaining and carrying into full and triumphant effect the noble and truly evangelical missionary principles which are so unequivocally asserted in its Constitution.

It cannot be denied that the theory of missions, and the relation of the Church to this subject, declared so authoritatively by the General Convention, are correct.

If the conviction of right principles and also the frankest acknowledgment of duty are evidences of the soundness and honorableness of a Church, then there is much in the Protestant Episcopal Church to invite to its unity all those, certainly, who love to own and to fulfil the last charge of their ascended Lord: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature."

SECTION XVIII.

LIBERTY.

Replies to several inquiries-liberty in the Protestant Episcopal Church -to join voluntary and benevolent societies-to form associations for religious improvement-to offer extemporaneous prayers-to engage in social meetings for religious purposes-to make special efforts for the good of souls-statement of a grand principle of liberty in the Protestant Episcopal Church-this Church therefore dear to all friends of religious liberty.

THERE are certain questions which meet Episcopalians continually, and which deserve to be answered in our present review. specimens of the class. and then we will state answers are rendered.

We have selected a few as These we will briefly answer; the principle upon which the

1. Are the ministers and members of the Protestant Episcopal Church at liberty to join the various voluntary societies for benevolent and other purposes, such as Bible, tract, colonization, peace, temperance, and other societies?

We reply: They are at perfect liberty to do so; and we believe distinguished members of the Protestant Episcopal Church are among the leading men in all these societies.

2. Are the ministers and members of the Protestant Episcopal Church at liberty to unite themselves in little bands, or classes or associations, for their personal improvement in religious knowledge and affection— associations like those, for instance, in the Methodist societies?

We reply: They are at perfect liberty to do so. Such associations of Episcopal ministers are very common; and in many, probably most, Episcopal parishes, associations of the laity similar in many respects do exist, though their names may be different, such as leagues, brotherhoods, guilds, etc., and though they have no formal name by which they are distinguished.

3. Are the ministers and members of the Protestant Episcopal Church ever allowed to offer extemporaneous prayers?

We reply: They are at perfect liberty to do so, on every occasion, and in all circumstances, for which no regular services are provided or ordered.

4. Are the ministers and members of the Protestant Episcopal Church ever allowed to engage in informal prayer-meetings and other social meetings for religious purposes?

We reply: They are at perfect liberty to do so; and such meetings have been always more or less common.

5. Are the ministers and members of the Protestant Episcopal Church ever allowed to engage in protracted meetings, and other special and extraordinary efforts for the good of souls?

We reply: They are at perfect liberty to do so. Nay, more: their Church is constructed on the principle that such efforts are desirable; and it provides for them in a system of its own. The various festivals and the fasts, the season of Lent, and the solemn Passion and Holy weeks, all appointed by the Church, are of this character. So also are the various clerical associations and convocations. The Protestant Episcopal Church holds that men cannot pray too much, nor know too

much of the Word of God, nor make too much effort for their own salvation and that of others. Supreme devotion is the end of all its arrangements. If the services of a congregation should be protracted through a year, or a century of years, there would be an "Order for Daily Morning Prayer," and an "Order for Daily Evening Prayer," and a "Table of Lessons of Holy Scripture to be read at Morning and Evening Prayer," provided by the Church, for every day in the year, or in the century of years, and offered to the use of that congregation. We have thus selected, and answered distinctly, a few very common and very broad questions.

The principle upon which our replies have been rendered will apply to all other questions concerning the lawfulness of things in the Protestant Episcopal Church. The grand principle referred to, and which lies at the foundation of the system of the Protestant Episcopal Church, is this-perfect liberty in all things not defined by the positive laws which have been made and acknowledged by the whole Church.

Everything not defined by these laws is lawful; and the only question, in reference to any such thing, is this: Is it expedient? For it is true in the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, as it was in the Primitive and Apostolical Church, of which St. Paul wrote (1 Cor. x. 23): "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not."

Within this Church may not all unite, who would "stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free"?

SECTION XIX.

ADAPTIVENESS.

The Protestant Episcopal Church adapted to all circumstances of society, and all the temperaments and habitudes of men-thus proved a true Church-accordant with the designs of the Church-importance of adaptiveness-folly of establishing a Church on different principlesnecessity of adaptiveness illustrated-the opposite of adaptiveness a fundamental error in sectarism-lessons from the history of the past -the Church may not forbid anything, and may use everything, but sin-objections answered-no evils resulting from adaptiveness in the Protestant Episcopal Church-such evils cannot exist in it-illustrated the writer's advice to his Christian brethren-a word to Episcopalians-the Protestant Episcopal Church founded on the most expansive principles.

UNDER the principle stated in the last section, it will be seen, while individuals are left to the most unrestricted Christian liberty, the Church is, at the same time, made beautifully and exactly adaptive to all the varying circumstances of society and all the peculiar temperaments and habitudes of men.

The propriety of the principle, and the vital importance of such adaptiveness in the system of the Church, will be evident, if we look for a moment at the design of the Church. It is intended to take in all men, in all places, at all times, that it may teach and bless them, and keep them near to the Great Head. The Church, in its theory, is universal. It must therefore accommodate itself to all. It must be, like its ministers, "all things to all men, that by any means it may win some." The example of Christ is the rule and pattern of His