A PRIMITIVE MISSIONARY

SOCIETY.

BY THE REV. S. G. GREEN, B.A. Perhaps there never was a happier christian community than the church at Antioch in its earlier days. Its numbers had rapidly increased. No persecution threatened from without, and dissension had not commenced within. Like the five thousand believers at Jerusalem, too, these disciples still clung together and formed but one church. It was not yet believed, that when a christian society had reached a certain number, it ought to be divided into distinct congregations; nor did such differences of opinion exist, as might make it expedient or needful to separate. True, no one pastor could attend to such a charge; but, serious as the difficulty would be in our times, it was then quite easy for several ministers to "work together," and to live-happily, unitedly, and usefully, serving the selfsame church. The names of these pastors are given in Acts xiii. 1; but we know nothing further about any of them, excepting Barnabas and Saul, the most honoured and influential of the band.*

But now a message came to the church, which might well alarm the strongest faith, and for a moment chill the warmest zeal. It was in one of its solemn assemblies, convened, most likely, for some special act of devotion. Perhaps the disciples were thinking, with burdened spirits, of a world lying in wickedness around them, and asking, as only those can ask who have gazed often upon this prospect in the light of Calvary, "Lord, what wilt thou have us to do?" The answer was not delayed! How given, we may not conjecture; but its tenor was clear and decisive. Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have appointed them.'

Could they have expected this? Must not the response to their petitions have taken them by surprise? Were there no hearts in the assembly that almost regretted the fervour of their own prayers? To lose

their most beloved pastors! To surrender at once the two men of God who had gathered them together, and taught them almost all they knew of Christ, on whose lips they daily hung with growing eagerness of interest, and who had been with them but one short year! There would have been no difficulty in finding arguments for the continuance of men so useful in their present unexhausted field of usefulness. Manaen, Lucius, and Simeon, would certainly be left; but excellent ministers as these were, the church must surely, for a moment, have been ready to look upon them as nothing compared with Barnabas and Saul. But we turn from conjecture to the record. One thing there is plain. Whatever these christians may have felt, they had learned not to be selfish. Instantly they obeyed the command. A second assembly was appointed, for the designation of the missionaries. What tears were shed, what hearts were faint, as the solemn task was performed, we are not told; but "when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away."

Here, then, the church of Christ first comes before us in its missionary character. And from the picture drawn, there are twa things, among others, to be learned.

One is, that missions are the work of the church. They are as essential a part of its business as the maintenance of christian ordinances, or the provision of the means of evangelization within its own immediate and limited sphere. The charge, moreover, belongs to christians in their united capacity. It was not to individual believers, possessing more wealth or zeal than the rest, that the Holy Spirit spoke. The whole church at Antioch received the summons, arose to the work, and collectively undertook the mission. This fact is of great importance in our own days. To the superficial observer it may sometimes appear as if Societies, and not churches, are undertaking to evangelize the world. The constituents of our missionary institutions have become so, it seems at first sight, not by virtue of their christianity, but of their

subscription. So, we say, it might be thought; so it has been said. The case, however, is in reality different. True, the "Society" is the ostensible agent; but its only value is in its being a means of economically combining the strength, and giving effectual expression to the zeal, of separate churches. In our own denomination, the Societyis just a central management, acting on behalf of the aggregate community. Its constitution, we believe, was devised to accomplish this end, in the way that seemed best to those who framed it. And it is only as our mission in truth represents the devotedness of our whole body, that we dare to expect its prosperity and success. But let it be remembered, that wherein it here may fail, the fault is in the churches. The remedy will be, not a revised constitution at head quarters, but a new spirit throughout the country. The machinery for vast usefulness is ready; let every church, as a church, determine to do its part, and the result is sure. It is not enough that there should be subscribers in a congregation,-Mr. So-and-so, in the curtained pew, who gives his respectable guinea; and Mrs. Such-an-one, a generoushearted widow, with money in the funds, whom deputations always call upon. Nor will the addition to this of a Juvenile Society, and an annual collection, complete the duty of the church. All these are good in their way; but the one thing needful is, a deep and earnest sympathy, intertwined with the church's very life, maintained in continual activity, and expressed in every possible form of practical help. We do not object to the subscriptions of children, nor are we by any means averse to the most general appeals; but it is our conviction, nevertheless, that all assistance to the missionary cause which has not a true sympathy like this as its foundation is worthless. We know that multitudes of the members of our churches do not feel their responsibility in this matter. They leave the work to subscribers, deputations, the secretaries of the auxiliary, and the children. It would surprise them were the state and prospects of the mission to be presented as a theme of discussion-not on the first Monday in the month, when they decorously listen to the "Herald" as the usual thing, but at a church-meeting, as part of the business. Thousands of them

would be puzzled if asked, off-hand, what Mr. Lewis is doing at Calcutta, or Mr. Law in Trinidad. We wonder, if there had been ship letters and printing presses in apostolic days, how long it would have taken to put every member of the church at Antioch in full possession of the news from Cyprus! We only want a similar spirit of zeal to be able at once to send to India the twenty new missionaries for whom our Society have asked. Nay, we ought not to wait for such appeals. Rather is it our business to tell the committee what to do for us, enabling them at the same time to accomplish it.

We learn, also, that we ought to be willing to devote some, at least, of our best men to the mission work. There is more selfishness on this head now than there was in apostolic days. If we had Barnabas and Saul, should we be willing to resign them? Never. We would build them spacious chapels, rejoice in their popularity, boast of their extensive "spheres of usefulness," and whatever might be their inward stirrings of spirit as they mourned over the spectacle of an apostate world, we would eagerly stifle their yearning desires, that we might retain men so useful and honoured to ourselves. There are men now in England who, had they followed their own early unfettered impulses, would have been engaged in far more arduous toils, and in infinitely more neglected fields. Were none of those impulses from above? Let the churches beware, lest when the heart of the aspirant for usefulness cries aloud, "Here am I, send me," they interpose to discourage or to allure, responding, in effect, "However called, you shall not go !"

We pass over the record of the apostles' journey, and hasten to note, in a word or two, their return to Antioch. For the church in that city had not lost them altogether. A second period of labour was permitted there, before the final farewell. It would not be difficult to picture the joy with which the return of pastors so dear would be greeted. What welcomes at the water's edge, as the vessel from Attaleia neared the quay,-what swift conveyance of the news,-what meeting with the fellowelders, what anxiety on all sides to hear the story of adventure and of toil! As soon as possible, A MISSIONARY MEETING was convened, and there the tale was told ;

very much, no doubt, as we have it in the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of the Acts. It is worth while to cast a glance in at this assembly, and to compare it with missionary meetings that we have seen. One thing is certain; it was conducted by christians only, and in a spirit of the deepest religious earnestness. We are not told who was "in the chair;" but he was not assuredly placed there because he was a rich man, or a member of the Roman senate, or a high municipal authority of Antioch. The strangers who may have dropped in could tell at once, that a sublime and holy enterprise engaged all minds and hearts in that gathered throng. So have we seen vast assemblies bowed with emotion, or elated into rapture, when William Knibb, or Robert Moffat, or other men of humbler fame, but of equal devotedness, have been disburdening the fulness of their souls. It must have been a stirring moment when Barnabas introduced his friend and companion, as no longer Saul, but PAUL ;* free from every national fetter, and devoted henceforth to the world. And the story of Sergius Paulus was told, and of Elymas the sorcerer; and the audience became yet more hushed in attention as they heard of another Antioch, and had a second edition of Paul's noble discourse in the synagogue there. They could not but half sympathize with the poor people of Lycaonia, full of

old stories and traditions as they were, in believing that the "gods had come down in the likeness of men;" but shall we suppose that a titter ran round even this missionary meeting when they heard how the honours of divinity were apportioned, and whispered to one another that Barnabas, with his tall, commanding presence, would make an admirable Jupiter, while it was no wonder, indeed, that his associate, albeit slender and weak to look at, should be mistaken for the god of eloquence! But full soon tears would succeed the smiles as they heard of the stoning, marvelled at the Providence that rescued, and in their hearts responded to the truth, that "through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom of God."

So passed the first missionary meeting, closing, no doubt, with a psalm from David, and a prayer from Paul. One thing in it was remarkable. There was no collection. That business had all been done long before. There was little fear, either, that contributions would be lacking when required again. Now the only business was to hear what God had wrought. Whether this part of the example could be imitated in our days is a question. The main want, we repeat, is a spirit of solemn earnestness in the work. Whatever else is needed will then certainly and spontaneously follow.

THE SANCTIFIED DREAM.

BY THE REV. P. H. CORNFORD.

The narrator of the following dream was, at the time of its occurrence, about twentytwo years old. At a very early age he had given evidence of considerable preaching talent; but was dissuaded from entering upon a course of academical study, upon which he had resolved,-his friends asserting that, being already qualified by God for the high vocation, it was needless, if not wrong, to seek for qualifications under the teachings of man. Listening to the evil counsel, which was at that time earnestly enforced by many godly people, he accepted the pastorate of a church at Sheerness,

before he had attained the age of twenty years. Here his ardent manner and glowing style never failed to draw around him crowds of wondering admirers. He was ensnared by popularity, and laboured with all his might to maintain it. At this time he had an abundance of that which he estimated as his "reward." But his sentiments were Antinomian; and he shrank not from proclaiming his principles in all their length and breadth. In addition to these things, his pulpit ministrations were often made to gleam and flash with the shafts of wit. He would play with the sentiments he despised,-would impale them upon an imaginary dilemma,-would