Christ and the ministry, for multitudes will have sunk to perdition, ere you can be prepared and be sent forth to warn them of their guilt and danger, and urge them to enter the ark of safety. May the Holy Spirit prepare multitudes of you for this highest, best of labor.

AMOUNT OF TAXATION IN SEVERAL STATES.

WE have received from the Hon. Walter Lowrie, Secretary of the Senate of the United States, a copy of the "Statistical View of the Population of the United States, from 1790 to 1830 inclusive; published by the Department of State, in accordance with resolutions of the Senate of the United States, of the 26th of February, 1833, and 31st of March, 1834." It is a folio of 216 pages. The inquiries were carried on by means of circulars, addressed to the governors of States and Territories, and, through them, to the various local officers who possessed the knowledge requisite for answering them. Considerable information was consequently collected at the department. Complete returns were not, however, rendered from any one State or Territory. From those, which were received, estimates were formed, in which the data furnished by the partial returns from a State, were applied to the whole State. The States for which the statistics were thus prepared, were those from which the fullest returns have been received. The first 15 pages are occupied with some partial militia returns. The 118 subsequent pages embrace various details concerning the population of the United States, at each of the five enumerations. We subjoin a few details respecting the colored people.

The first duplication took place in 1802; the second in 1820; and the third, by estimate, will take place in 1844, when the number of free colored persons will amount to 475,728.

The first duplication took place in 1816. The second duplication, it is estimated, will occur in 1843, when the number of slaves will be 2,791,588.

Fourteen pages are occupied in giving a statement of the number of votes cast, and the persons voted for at each of the elections of President and Vice President of the United States. The relative rank of each of the States is then given, as it was at the time the five censuses were taken, according to the various classes of population. About 12 pages are thus taken up. The object of the remainder of the volume is thus described by the Secretary of State, in his circular to the state officers. "A controversy has arisen, of some interest

to the reputation of our country, and which may affect that of representative governments everywhere. It is asserted that the citizens of the United States pay a greater amount of taxes, in proportion to their population, than the subjects of France; from which the conclusion is drawn, that the republican form of government is more expensive than a monarchical." The statistics of but a small portion of the States are collected.

MAINE.

Aggregate annual amount of taxes of all kinds levied, for town, county, and state purposes, $932,737 5; number of clergymen of all denominations actual residents, 506; aggregate amount of salaries received by resident clergymen, annually $75,041 46; labor on roads and bridges $522,113 23; average value of labor per month, throughout the year, including board, $12 42; annual expense for supporting the poor $74,601 54; for free schools $156,000. Aggregate number of pupils in all the free schools of the State 106,000; academies 12; colleges 2. Number of public libraries in 101 towns 41, containing 8,892 volumes. The aggregate maximum amount of state, county, and town taxes is $1,172,005 72. The sum divided by 399,455, the population of the State, gives the maximum average $2 93. The minimum is $2 25. There are no county taxes in Maine, for the maintenance of the poor, nor for the support of schools, these expenses being defrayed by taxes upon the several towns. The average amount of state tax, collected in money is $50,275. No portion of it is appropriated to religious purposes, to objects of internal improvement, nor to the support of education. By a law of the State, each town and plantation is required to raise annually a sum not less than 40 cents for each inhabitant therein, which sum is to be expended for the support of public schools.

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

The average amount of state taxes levied in money, is $43,333 33. These taxes are laid on the polls of male citizens, from 18 to 70 years of age, and on real and personal estate. The expense of collection is about 1 per cent. No portion of the state tax is applied to religious purposes. Religious societies are allowed by law, to assume corporate powers, and to tax themselves. For the support of education there is required by statute, an annual tax upon the several towns, amounting to about $90,000, which is not included in the state tax above mentioned, in addition to which, there is a tax levied on banking corporations, amounting annually, to about $11,000, the whole of which is applied by the several towns, to the sole object of supplying primary schools. The total aggregate maximum amount of the state, county, and town taxes, is $652,851 74, which, divided by the population of the State, gives an average of $2 42. The number of clergymen of all denominations, is 368, and the average annual amount of salary received by them, $86,795 85.

RHODE ISLAnd.

No state tax for the last 7 years; county taxes are unknown. The annual expense of the state government is about $18,000, raised by a tax on banks, lotteries, &c. No part of the state revenue is applied to religious purposes. To aid in the support of free schools, $10,000 are by law appropriated, while any balance which may arise from the tax on auctions and lottery grants, is invested in a permanent fund. This fund now amounts to $50,000. Whole number of public schools in the State in 1832, 324; children educated in them 17,114; amount appropriated by the several towns $11,490; total amount expended for the public schools $21,490; whole number of private schools 220; scholars attending them 8,007; whole estimated expense of private schools $81,375. Number of clergy 96; average salary $25,530.

CONNECTICUT.

Clergy 378; salaries $159,779 44. Average value of labor per month, including board $11 61. Cost of paupers $68,809. Number of pupils in free

schools 85,630. The amount of state tax levied in money is $38,918 79. There is no tax for religious purposes, or for education. The maximum amount of all taxes on each individual is $1 79; the minimum $1 63.

OHIO.

Clergy, 759. Amount of salaries $193,302 98. Average value of labor per day, including board, 50 cents. Maximum amount of state, county, and town taxes $1,162,125 84. No tax for religious purposes. About $50,000 is raised annually, for schools.

PREPARATION FOR THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY.

Deliberation.

1. You must have a full determination, at the outset of your inquiries, that you will take that course, which shall commend itself to your judgment, without reference to the self-denial, or the difficulties, with which you will be called to

meet.

2. Earnest prayer to God. This should be done honestly, before you have come to any decision in your own mind; with a full belief in the particular providence of God, and in the special interest which Jesus Christ feels in all matters, which pertain to the building up of his kingdom.

3. Devout examination of the principal passages of Scripture, bearing on this subject. God gives wisdom through his written word.

4. Ask the opinion of two or three of your most judicious, pious, and disinterested friends. State the question to them in an impartial manner, and at an early period of the investigation.

5. Look candidly and fully at your qualifications, or want of qualifications for the work.

6. If the case be an important one, and yours is of the highest importance, it may be well to consider the questions, Where can I exert the greatest influence on the condition of rational beings through time and eternity? Where can I acquire, and develope, and employ the most intellectual and moral power for the benefit of my fellow creatures?

Want of Pecuniary Means.

You inquire," How shall I overcome my pecuniary difficulties in acquiring an education?

In the first place, it may be said that previously to the establishment of Education Societies, a small class of students entirely defrayed the expenses of their own education. By energy and economy, they were enabled to meet their pecuniary obligations after they had entered on their profession. The hardships of this course were indeed so great, that but few men, comparatively, had the force of character to encounter these difficulties, but still it shows what is practicable.

Again, the literary institutions in our country are numerous, and on the whole very proportionably distributed. This circumstance of course diminishes the expense of an education. The competition between various institutions renders

the pecuniary charges at all of them very nearly uniform, while it reduces these charges to a very low rate. Tuition, at our more important seminaries, is entirely, or in part, gratuitous for all indigent students. Where it is paid in full, it varies from twenty-five to forty dollars annually. The expense of board for forty weeks' study, does not amount to more than sixty or seventy dollars—a less sum than is now appropriated to an individual by a number of our Education Societies.

In some cases a school may be taught advantageously for an entire year, or for two years, before a student enters college, or after he has finished his course. In the last case, thirty dollars a month may be earned, amounting in a year to three or four hundred dollars-a sum nearly sufficient to defray the entire expenses of an education at some of our more important institutions.

I cannot, as a general thing, advise a young man to suspend his studies at college, for the purpose of teaching school, or engaging in other temporary employments. The evils of this course are not counterbalanced by its advantages. It diminishes a four years' course of study to less than three. It exceedingly deranges the regular routine of college duties. It embarrasses the studies of the scholars who remain. The best portion of the year-the winter months—is lost. As for a school teacher's being able to maintain his standing in college, while teaching a school, it is out of the question. The practice of a frequent suspension of college duties, is one of the principal reasons of the comparatively low condition of learning in our country.

Neither can I recommend manual labor as an important pecuniary means of support while in college. As a way of preserving health, it is valuable. Something of the kind, you must have. To think of studying four years without systematic exercise, is to think of a protracted suicide. For the purpose of invigorating the mind, as well as the body, manual labor has decided advantages over gymnastics, or mere walking, or innocent sports. If you have a good mechanical genius, or have acquired a mechanical trade, you can indeed earn a considerable sum of money. But without some extraordinary advantage of that description, you cannot expect to earn any thing like a competent support. You may procure a little assistance in this way, but you can do nothing more. Manual labor, to be extensively profitable, will consume an amount of time and of anxiety, which is incompatible with rapid progress in study. The human mind cannot take an effective and enduring interest in two great objects at the same moment. If one succeeds, the other will languish. There are also practical difficulties on this subject, which are nearly insurmountable ;-such as the procuring of a well-qualified superintendent, a large and convenient market for the sale of products, a variety of employments suited to the different habits of students, and labor adapted to the changing seasons of the year.

You need not hesitate a moment to advance from fear of pecuniary inability. "God helps those who help themselves." "They who trust in him, and do good, shall verily be fed." You will be able, by judicious arrangements, to avoid certain expenditures, which, by many persons are thought to be indispensable. Travelling expenses, often amounting to large sums, a careful student will certainly diminish, and in many cases, wholly avoid. Another heavy expenditure is incurred in the purchase of books. The evils of this practice, besides its expense, are many. Not unfrequently, before the purchaser needs

them, a new and more valuable edition will appear. Or they can be procured at a cheaper rate, in other circumstances; or they remain as an incumbrance, to be transported, for several years, and to many different places, until the owner becomes permanently established.

Physical Qualifications.

There are, I think, certain physical characteristics, which are indispensable to the proper prosecution of the work of the ministry. There may be defects which are fatal hindrances. The requisition of Jehovah that the priests and Levites should have a perfect bodily organization was founded in good sense, and was proper in the nature of the case. A radically unsound constitution, a prominent deformity, defective lungs, the destitution of either of the senses, or a badly maimed limb, are to be regarded as insurmountable obstacles. The argument that there have been cases of distinguished usefulness in such circumstances, does not invalidate my position. I maintain that these are not only exceptions, but exceedingly rare exceptions. It is said that the sympathy which is felt for a striking physical misfortune, operates favorably on the minds of an audience. But an effect totally the reverse is much more frequently the result. Either of the defects to which I have alluded, unless it be weak lungs, will subject a man to unkind remark, and to severe and constant mortification, in addition to the obstacles which they present to progress in study. The mass of men judge of a preacher very much according to his outward appearance. And it is impossible that they should judge otherwise, considering their want of sincere attachment to the truth for its own sake. The good, which the truth produces, is dependent on the channel in which it flows.

We ought also to bring into the account, the multiplied labors to which clergymen are now subject, and which demand a robust physical frame. Their labors are, indeed, not unfrequently, so great as to destroy the firmest and most compact bodily organization. Their duties ought either to be abridged or generalized. It is a subject of the most pressing importance-vitally connected with all which is dear to human hopes and the salvation of men. But abridged and simplified as their labors ought to be, still it is presumption almost bordering on madness, to undervalue or neglect the bodily health, or enter the ministry with a debilitated or radically unsound constitution. There is no demand for such auxiliaries. No corps of invalids is wanted in the army of Christ. There are young men enough who have all the necessary physical characteristics. It is, therefore, one of the most serious inquiries which you can institute, How can I sustain the responsibilities of the pastoral charge? Will my health, with the blessing of God, and my own watchful care, be competent to sustain the immense responsibilities, which will be laid upon me?

Good Common Sense.

An essential element in a preparation for the ministry is an accurate power of observation in respect to men and manners. It is denominated by the various names of prudence, native sense, good judgment, common sense, knowledge of human nature. An individual who has an excess of it, or whose common sense is not harmonized and proportioned by certain other and higher qualifications, may be said to have an acquaintance with men, but not with man. The faculty or power of which I speak, is to be considered in part as an original