of the earth, we must have a union of heart in the ministry and eldership. It merits inquiry, wherever these remarks are read, whether those Presbyteries are not most free from discord and unbrotherly alienations, in which it is most customary for the members to come together in other relations, where they do not confine their intercourse to the formalities of Presbyterial business, but frequently assemble elsewhere at sacraments, at conferences, and at revivals. What a singular statement it would be, concerning any associated body of ministers and elders, to say of them that they never meet statedly for conversation, preaching and prayer, except at the times of formal meeting, and that at such times their devotional fellowship is restricted to an hour or two. One of the most beautiful traits in the Presbyterian history of Scotland, both ancient and modern, is the frequency of Presbyterial communion in those holy services which cause hearts to melt and to flow together. For ages this was promoted by the ancient method of celebrating the Lord's supper, which had some inconveniences, but nevertheless brought Christian friends together at the feet of Christ, and caused brethren to know one another, and to correct one another, and to profit by one another's gifts and graces. And in the later days of the Free Church, whose history is that of the greatest revival of religion since the Reformation, nothing has been more remarkable and prominent for several years after the disruption, than the continual intermingling of brother with brother, greatly facilitated by the smallness of their territory as compared with ours, but still more furthered by ministerial visits, exchanges of labour, meetings at communion seasons, missions of settled ministers to remote districts, the highlands, islands, and even Canada, and the prominence given to great public assemblies; so that the gifts of the more favoured points have, in some measure, become the property of the most destitute. And if that surprising and edifying union which was the admiration of Christendom at the disruption, and which united the Free Church as one man in all the Church schemes (or Church Boards as we might call them) without one single note of that petty discord which sometimes strikes our American ear from some distant ill-tuned string; if that union seems a little threatened by local divisions and emulations, we doubt not God will bring their hearts together, if he intends to make them mighty against his foes. As He will unite us, of these United States, if his purpose be to extend our influence in evangelizing the continent and the world. Great awakenings and outpourings of the Holy Spirit tend to draw ministers together, and to make them more intimately acquainted with one another, and with the churches. The community of interest which would result from a wide-spread revival in all our Presbyteries, would increase our spiritual strength as much as the numerical increase of members. The vital circulation would be quickened, and the blood would flow briskly to those extremities which are now benumbed with cold. It would be a sign of the

returning favour of our God, if ministers and elders were to be found coveting such seasons of Christian intercourse, and such meetings for prayer and preaching, as are described in the books of our fathers. If no other good effect should proceed from such gatherings, they would at least issue in mutual acquaintance and confidence among brethren. It is melancholy to observe members of the same Presbytery, and even clergymen in the same city, dwelling asunder in as cold and dignified an insulation as if each was nestled on his separate iceberg; and it is an obvious and gross dereliction of New Testament principle concerning the mutual relations of brethren in office, when they exhibit themselves to the world as more disunited from one another, except in public bodies, than the members of other faculties. There must be more of reality in our brotherhood, before we can hope for union in great Christian acts and enterprises.

If the men of this world only knew the elements of power which exist in the Presbyterian Church, they would probably organize an opposition even more formidable than that which exists. For we have the learning, the eloquence, and even the wealth, to make our body ten times more influential than it is, if these could be brought out in mass. Satan, experienced in undermining strong foundations, is doubtless at work beneath ours, and should he produce serious division, our great prospects will terminate as fatally as those of our English brethren of the seventeenth century.

If an argument for union and for affectionate loyalty to our standards can be derived from vastness of work to be done, we have it right before our eyes, in any map of our increasing territory, to say nothing of foreign lands. Can the largest ambition or the highest philanthropy ask a wider field than this continent! To the South and West, North America lies before the Presbyterian people of the land. Every projected line of travel, every caravan to Santa Fé, every advanced post among the further Indians, every new emigration to New Mexico and Oregon, and every new adventure to California, point out our work, and "marshal us the way that we should go." The power of a united church, in prosecuting such a work, is just as distinctly apparent as the power of a united nation in prosecuting a war. That "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal," is no reason that they may not be disabled by division. Every division in the schemes, counsels and spirit of a church, implies the expending of a given amount of energy on internal conflict. The forces in a certain sense neutralize each other. Those few golden years in which the Free Church of Scotland has poured all her resources into one deep and broad channel, have witnessed an amount of pecuniary contribution and of personal labour, more uniformly levied from the entire field, and more successfully progressive, than we can think of in any analogous instance since the Reformation. This is the more instructive to us, from our identity of belief and order. But should that great community allow itself to be distracted by internal questions or sectional rivalries, the cleft

will soon admit a larger wedge, and enemies will assemble to sneer at the gaping fissures. Avertat Deus! In our own case, no maxims of minor policy can be so dear or so momentous, as the fundamental maxim of all our policy, that we must be united. The arm of our Church, after much preparation, is raised for a stroke, in the name of our Master: to arrest that arm, when ready to fall, is to paralyse our universal energy. Where is the Presbyterian who would not sacrifice his most darling predilection, or hush his most impatient censure, rather than put back the wheels of our executive energy

All that has been said tends to the conclusion, that every synod, every presbytery, every church, every minister and elder, ought to keep fully in view the imperative duty of united church action. If there were differences among us, as once there were, touching evangelical doctrine, or the constitution of our courts, there would be a ground for hesitation, and for dread of too powerful effort. But through the sovereign goodness of God our Saviour, we are of one mind as to our formularies, in their strictest construction. In every portion of our widely-extended ministry, the same language proceeds from pulpits and the press. If we were hemmed in by the limits of a small, thickly-peopled kingdom, we might apprehend danger from the centralization of influence in certain points. But the very rate of our increase, the mingling of races, and the geographical and political dissimilarities of our distant States, work mightily and effectually against any such consolidation; and the perpetual change of our representation brings up from the circumference the due influence of every new interest and opinion. Among all our dangers, the least imminent is that of too much union. Our concert on the single point of evangelizing the slave population, while it awakens the surprise of such as wait for our halting, does at this moment tend with incalculable force to hold together the stones of the political arch; just as the rending of some other bodies has tended to sunder them. This, however, is only an incidental good; the unity of our evangelic work is a direct and incumbent duty, laid upon us as Christians and as a Church. It is one agreeable peculiarity of our Presbyterian system, in regard to those great and widening tracts over which it spreads, that the interest of one Presbytery becomes the interest of all and of every one. Our ecclesiastical acts are for the mass, and whether we unite in missions, schools, or publications, these things are not done in a corner. す

SENSIBILITY TO DAILY MERCIES.-As the Dead Sea drinks in the river Jordan and is never the sweeter, and the ocean all other rivers and is never the fresher, so we are apt to receive daily mercies from God, and still remain insensible of them, unthankful for them. God's mercies to us are like the dew on the ground: our thanks to him like dew upon the fleece. We are greedy to get mercy, tenacious to hold it; but unthankful in acknowledging or rightly using it.

ILLUSTRATION OF SYSTEMATIC BENEVOLENCE.

MR. EDITOR-Permit me to give your readers an illustration of the effects of "systematic benevolence," which was urged in your February number. There seems to be every indication that the churches are beginning to feel the importance of more system, economy, and efficiency in this department. Example is better than precept, and on this account the following practical corroboration of the views heretofore exhibited is given. About four years ago the Board of Publication, through the liberality of a distinguished philanthropist, issued an edition of Dr. Chalmers' "Christian Economics," with an able introduction by Dr. Hodge of Princeton. This was Dr. Chalmers' last deliverance, as he was accustomed to say, on this subject which had occupied so much of his attention, and in which he felt so deep an interest. It contained a review of the operation of this plan in the "Free Church," and various suggestions, which were the result of three years experience, with reference to its working. The experiment in that Church has been crowned with most extraordinary success. No denomination of Christians in modern times has accomplished more in proportion to its numbers and wealth, and that after having suffered for generations the paralysing influence of State patronage and restraint. In proof how much, under God, this has been owing to its scriptural system of making collections, it is interesting to notice how proportionably other churches have met with success, as they have been conformed to this model.

The object of these remarks is, however, simply to call attention to the working of the plan in our own churches. Having been much impressed with the suggestions in the "Christian Economics,' and finding that from various causes, principally a systematic effort to promote a vigorous church extension, the church with which the writer is connected was falling off in its contributions to the various benevolent operations of the day, the systematic plan was laid before the Session. With some little apprehension of failure, it was unanimously resolved to make trial of it for a year. It was agreed to divide the members of the congregation into different classes, and assign one to each officer of the church. A sermon was then preached on the general subject, at the same time exhibiting the plan and detailing its various advantages. In the mean time a number of copies of the annexed schedule were printed, and one or more placed in each pew, which the congregation were requested to take home and consider; being informed that the pastor, or one of the elders, would call during the week, and ascertain what each one was willing to contribute to the general cause of Christian benevo

lence, and in what proportion they would divide it among the various specified objects.

The following Schedule is copied from that used in the "Free Church, Scotland." It is intended to afford assistance to persons in determining, and indicating what amount they are willing to contribute to the cause of Christian benevolence, each week, according to the apostle's recommendation in 1 Cor. xvi. 2, "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him;" and 2 Cor. viii. 12, For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not." Some may prefer to give more to one object than to another-for these a blank column (No. 10) is left, that they may put down what they choose

to each.

After examining the following list, each one is requested to fill up the blank, and sign it.

Rates of contribution to

the following objects. No. 1 No.2 No.3 No. 4 No.5 No.6 No.7 No. 8 No.9 No. 10

On considering the above rates, I agree to give the sums specified in Rate No. and request the collector to call for it every*

(Signed)

P. S. After filling the above blanks, this paper can be sent to the pastor, or one of the elders, or if that be not convenient, it will be called for.

*Insert the day of the week, or, if you prefer to pay it monthly, the day of the month, or that you will hand it at such a time.

The plan met with very general approbation. It has been in operation now nearly three years, and with increased favour. The first year the result was $3750, an excess of more than $1100 over the year before, notwithstanding sixty families, or parts of families, had colonized to build another church. The second year the amount raised was $5105, nearly $1400 more than the first. And the third (present) year the amount promises to yield still more. During this time we have had no agent to visit the church, and have taken up no collection in connection with the ordinary Sabbath services. A portion of the contributors paid their amounts to the pastor, or one of the elders, once a month, at one of the evening services; a portion send them, and a portion are called upon for this purpose. We have heard of no complaints from those upon whom the burden falls; but they have found it the means of being brought into more frequent contact with those over whom they have been made overseers. It ought to be added, that once a year an opportunity is given to increase the amount subscribed. There can be but little question that most of our churches would find this an economical and efficient mode of making collections for benevolent purposes. N. R. S.