Without throwing any reflection on persons in humble life, and limited education, who wish to devote themselves to this work, I do conceive, that in many instances, the failure which has taken place in our foreign operations, may partly, at least, be traced to this source. When a young person, under examination, tells us, that the extent of his reading has been the Bible, Boston's Fourfold State, Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, and the Evangelical Magazine; and that, from these and similar sources, with attending missionary services, he has derived all his knowledge of the work in which he proposes to engage; it is obviously impossible, whatever dependence may be placed on his sincerity, to attach any confidence to his knowledge of the nature of the work.

Such a person is perhaps accepted; and, after passing through a hurried and imperfect education, is sent forth to some important and difficult situation abroad. There difficulties and trials assail him, for which he is altogether unprepared and, after floundering and blundering a few years, becomes either dispirited or ensnared, and effects nothing. Perhaps he has been suddenly elevated to a class of society, in which he had not been accustomed to mingle, and from that circumstance, is exposed to danger, which would scarcely affect persons of another description. It ought not to be concealed, that missionaries laboring in certain situations among the Heathen, enjoy advantages 'which are not possessed by their brethren in the ministry at home; and this circumstance, if caution is not exercised, is in danger of producing great injury to our cause.

While remarking on the importance of obtaining men of a higher order of intelligence and pre

paration for the work, I shall be pardoned, if I suggest that the Missionary Society has pursued, what I conceive to be, a narrow and short-sighted policy. When young men, belonging to the dissenting academies, after having nearly, or entirely, completed their education, have offered their services, the Society has refused to reimburse the expense of their education to the academy. This refusal has generally been grounded on the alleged selfishness and illiberality of the demand. But I conceive that the illiberality is on the other side. It is well known that the funds of the Missionary Society are more amply supplied than those of our home academies; which, for the greater part, are supported with much difficulty. Their object is, the education of young men for the benefit of those churches which support them, their tutors, though all of them men of missionary and catholic spirit, are placed in a delicate situation; for, were many of these students, after finishing their academical course, to become missionaries, the academy would be annihilated. Not being found to answer the purpose, it would be abandoned. Whereas, did the Missionary Society defray the past expense of the individual's education, it would not signify how many became foreign laborers. The tutors would be induced to cherish a spirit of missionary zeal among the students, instead of discountenancing it, or at least, saying as little as possible on the subject.

In every point of view, the Missionary Society must be a gainer by adopting this principle of action. The expense of an individual thus made ready to their hand, would generally be much less than that of one educated by themselves. It would besides, be a vast saving of time and trouble.

But these are small advantages compared with another. What a difference is there between the views and principles of a man, whose education has been completed, and those of a person who has it to begin? How much more confidence can you repose in the conclusions of an enlightened and well disciplined mind, than in those of an individual who looks at every object vaguely and incorrectly?

By this means too, a greater identity would be given to our home and foreign operations. To the sentiment of the preceding paper I most fully subscribe, that they are one cause. The common field of labor is the world; and every christian is bound to labor in that part of the field in which he may prove most useful. The objects have been too often placed in contrast, or even in opposition to each other. This is neither wise nor christian. I see no good reason, why every academy may not be a missionary school. Four-fifths of the education necessary for ministers at home, is necessary and suitable for missionaries abroad. Every man ought to have the full opportunity of acting the part of a volunteer. After finishing his course, he is better qualified for judging where he ought to devote his energies and his talents, than when he began it. Though educated to go to the Heathen, if his faith or his courage fail, or his inclinations begin to waver, I would cheerfully allow him to remain at home; and, if educated for home, he ought as cheerfully to be allowed and encouraged to go abroad.

As so much reference is made by John in his letters, to the opposition of his friends and others, to his desire to devote himself to the work of Christ

among the Heathen, I feel called upon to explain the nature and reasons of this opposition, which, I apprehend, he never properly understood. Not having opposed him myself, after I saw his mind was fully made up, my explanation may be received with the greater confidence. As the opposition was not from worldly people, or from religious persons under the influence of worldly motives, the explanation is the more necessary.

I believe then, that opposition arose entirely from two causes,-the state of his constitution, and the character of his mind. All who knew him, feared that his bodily constitution would never bear the effects of a warm climate. Though liable to no particular complaint, he was delicate from a child, and incapable of enduring much fatigue or exposure. Of this his parents were most sensible, and hence their decided reluctance to allow him to go abroad. The event proved that their fears were too well grounded.

Other friends, connected his mental with his bodily constitution, and feared the labors of a missionary life would soon prove fatal. He possessed a highly morbid sensibility, which rendered him liable to exquisite sufferings, from circumstances that would not have greatly affected more robust and hardy individuals. He was formed for society, and was dependant upon it, in a great degree, for his support and capability of acting. This is most strongly marked in many of his letters. In connexion with this the kind of talent which he possessed, would have fitted him for eminent usefulness in this country; while his exquisite taste, and various other qualifications, would have been to a considerable extent, lost in a foreign country. I am not disposed to underrate the

talents necessary for foreign missionary labor, or to exaggerate the importance of our own, yet I freely acknowledge that I am one of the number, who would have rejoiced that John Urquhart had labored at home, rather than have gone abroad.

It was too delicate a matter to press these reasons upon him; but I am sure they are the only reasons which weighed with Dr. Chalmers, Mr. Ewing, and various other individuals, from whom he considered himself as experiencing more opposition than he had been prepared to expect. It is every day becoming more evident, that men of a high order of talent in the christian ministry, are required in this country. The successful prose

cution of the work abroad, renders this no less necessary, than the nature of the work at home; and it would augur ill for the cause of Christ generally, were such gifted individuals all disposed to forsake our own shores. Of this, however, there is no great reason to entertain much fear.

I cannot, perhaps, better conclude the account of his progress during this last session at St. Andrew's, than by giving at length, several documents with which I have been furnished. It is always more satisfactory to report the evidence of eye, and intimate witnesses, than to indulge in general and hypothetical reasonings; and I have found it a very peculiar advantage in conducting this narrative, that in almost every step of the religious life of this interesting youth, I can adduce the evidence of those who were so closely connected with him, that they had the best opportunities of judging; and who were, at the same time, well qualified to form a judgment of him. His friend, Mr. Duff, writes as follows: