in which those destined for the missionary field might dwell together, while they prosecuted their studies under the private direction of a well-qualified tutor of a missionary spirit. It is plain, that if the object is to be prosecuted by the Church at all, some such steps ought to be taken soon, both to mark the sense which is entertained of its importance, and to form a nucleus or centre, to which other measures may subsequently be added. In the existing state of things, we would rather see the Church take up the matter in its first stages, and provide the means of a proper training for missionary physicians, than immediately engage the services of those who have already completed their studies without any view to occupation in the mission-field. However, we expect that there will be, forthwith, a demand for medical missionaries to proceed to the Jews; and there can be no question about its being a most desirable thing to strengthen the hands of our missionaries in this way, particularly at the stations of Jassy and Damascus. We cannot forget the deeply impressive testimony in favour of such a measure which was uttered by Mr M Cheyne, in the General Assembly of 1840, after the return of the deputation to Palestine, of which he was a member, when he said, The London Society has a medical missionary stationed at Jerusalem, who administers to the bodily wants of the Jews; and often, when the godly physician is doing what he can for the body, he will drop a word into the ear for the soul. The ministry of our Lord and his apostles was peculiarly one of mercy to the bodies as well as to the souls of men; and, in the east especially, where medical skill is so highly prized, we ought to follow the scriptural example, as it is of the highest practical wisdom.' It cannot be doubted, that, sooner or later, this recommendation will be considered and acted upon; especially seeing that its force has been increased by the recent testimony of Dr Duncan, referred to in the commencement of this article. Mr Hetherington, also, has lately expressed himself as being favourable to the employment of medical agency in missions. In recommending that our Church should send a mission to the Nestorians, he suggested that, at least, one of the members of it should be a physician.

It appears not unlikely that the movements of the Church in advance of its present position in reference to this subject, will speedily be anticipated by Christian physicians themselves, acting under the dictates of their own views of duty, and independently relying only on their own efforts for the means of support. The case of the young Jewish medical man at Pesth, referred to in the commencement of this article, as having come under Dr Duncan's cognizance, is exactly one in point. He purposes to labour for the Lord, in the exercise of his own profession, in some country town' in Hun

gary. And what is there to hinder those like-minded in this country, whose hearts have been touched by divine grace, from pursuing the same course? And if at home, why not also abroad? Such examples as have already been set before the Church, by some of those mentioned in the preceding pages, are enough to provoke many to the like labour of love. So that, when the spirit of missionary enterprise shall have been more widely spread, we may expect to see not a few devoting all their possessions and acquirements to the service of their Divine Master in this field; choosing spheres for themselves; and aiming simply at evangelizing those little circles of heathen society to which their own personal influence may ex

tend.

Although it is the object of those missionary societies which are now employing medical agency to make their missionaries independent of emolument from practice, so as to admit of their services being given gratuitously to the objects of their beneficence, it is obviously not necessary to a Christian physician's success in the way of spreading the Gospel in heathen lands, that he should decline to accept of remuneration for his professional services from those able to afford it. He may, as we conceive, without any disparagement to the holy cause he seeks to promote, receive the means of his support from the rich, while he carries the Gospel to the poor. One of the most highly honoured of living missionaries does so, not being connected with any society; and it does not appear that this, in the least degree, operates against him in the minds of the people. How much might be done in support of our missions to the Jews, by Christian physicians establishing themselves with purely missionary views, in those countries where the missions have been located! Without being associated with the evangelists, they might lend them the most efficient aid, and would doubtless, in their own souls, realize the blessing still accorded to those who bless Israel.

After the mass of facts and opinions adduced above, all so much in favour of medical missions as being in accordance with the revealed mind of God, and so manifestly expedient, it may surprise many to learn that there are some persons who have condemned them, or at least characterized the plan as being of doubtful utility. It is quite essential to a proper statement of the subject that this fact should be mentioned here. We allude more particularly to the opinions of Mr Howard Malcolm, who was employed, in 1835-36, by one of the great American missionary societies, to visit the several mission-stations in Asia and the Pacific; to compare the various modes of operation in different missions; to survey the field, &c.; and who, consequently, had very ample opportunities of forming a judgment of the case on the best grounds. After seeing the operations of the medical missionaries in China

6

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and India, he came to the conclusion that they ought to be sparingly prosecuted. He says, It is not clear that a physician, practising gratuitously among the heathen, opens a door of usefulness for his missionary brother. He may rather throw him into the shade; and further, It should not be forgotten that the history of missionary physicians, from Felix Carey till now, contains many discouraging facts. It shows the danger of being drawn. away to posts of Pagan honour, or making shipwreck of Christian character, or becoming mere physicians.' Another class of objectors express dissatisfaction with the plan, as wearing, in their apprehension, an aspect of deceit. They complain that a missionary approaching the heathen as a physician, while he aims at preaching the gospel to them, must appear in their eyes devoid of common honesty, and is most likely in the end to excite against himself more prejudice than falls to the lot of the pure evangelist. Others, again, stand in doubt of medical missions, from their classing them with the specious plans of mere civilization, patronized by men of the world, who do not believe in the sufficiency of the simple promulgation of the gospel. We are ready to admit that, in some instances, the working out of the plan of medical missions may have been so defective, owing to imprudence or unfaithfulness on the part of the agents, as to afford just ground for some, or perhaps all of these charges against it. However this may be, it is evident, that, although we may be thoroughly persuaded in our own minds that the system is, in its main features, perfectly scriptural, we ought to learn, from the objections above stated, to mark the points at which some have been allowed to stumble, and, through their own sinfulness, to bring dishonour on the cause. But we cannot admit that these objections are of such weight as to counterbalance the effect of the testimonies in favour of medical missions, and the arguments which have been brought forward, so as to lead us to hesitate to extend to them our countenance and support.

CRITICAL NOTICES.

Farewell Sermon delivered on Sunday Evening, August 6, 1843, in Bishopwearmouth Church. By the Rev. C. P. MILES, B.A., Curate of Bishopwearmouth, &c. Sunderland, 1843.

We noticed some time ago the farewell sermon of Mr Rees, who had been ejected from his curacy in Sunderland by the Bishop of Durham, because of his faithfulness. We have again to advert to a similar case. Mr Miles has shared the same fate, and for the same cause. Thus four witnesses have been silenced in the Church of England, Mr Prince, Mr Rees, Mr Head, and now Mr Miles. Where will all this end? Will the evangelical clergy never bestir themselves, and band together, at least for mutual defence, if the peril of higher things will not move them to unite? What a sad lack of moral courage do they exhibit to the world and the church! What feebleness and inefficiency! We just give the opening statement:

'On Sunday evening last, the Rev. Mr Miles, the laborious and devoted curate of Bishopwearmouth, closed his career of ministerial usefulness in this parish.

cess.

"Ever since his settlement here, his ministry has been attended by increasingly numerous congregations; and on this the closing night of his labours, it was expected that the spacious church of the parish would be crowded to exBut the scene which actually did present itself was unlooked for and unparalleled. Upwards of an hour before the commencement of divine service, all the seats in the church were occupied. Several persons were locked in from four o'clock, when funerals take place, until the usual time for opening the church, that they might obtain seats; and a greater number of persons were assembled in the immediate locality, or had left the place on being unable to obtain admission, than would have filled the building itself! As the hour appointed drew near, all the aisles, passages, and porch, were crowded, and even outside the windows many persons were stationed, anxious to hear the farewell words of a pastor whom they regard with feelings of warmest affection, and whose loss (occasioned by 'persecution within the church') they deeply lament and deplore. Such a sight,' to use a phrase we often heard repeated, was never before seen in Bishopwearmouth church,' and probably never will be again. There could not be less we suppose (for we have no accurate basis on which to form a calculation) than from three to four thou sand persons present; and we are certain we do not in the least degree exaggerate, when we state that at least full as many individuals went away unable to obtain even an entrance within the doors of the church!" Pp. 3, 4. Then we give the conclusion.

"And now, in conclusion, brethren, I have briefly to remind you of what was said when addressing you last Sabbath evening, the responsibility is to be shared between the minister and the people. My responsibility is great indeed. Turn to the prophet Ezekiel, the 33d chapter, 6th and following verses, where you will read as follows:-'If the watchman see the sword come and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity:' -consider your responsibility, as here intimated, the wicked man dies in his iniquity. But the scripture adds, his blood will I require at thy hand.' Here is the responsibility of the minister. Nevertheless, if thou warn the

wicked of his way to turn from it; and if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul.'

"It is in the belief, and from the consideration of such scriptures as these, that my own mind, dear brethren, has been led, ever since my intercourse with you, to speak so boldly, so very plainly, and perhaps to give offence to members of the congregation because there has been in the speaking of the truth a personal application to themselves; but you will perceive at once that, if I have any knowledge of my own responsibility, if, as I have been in the habit of considering, a minister of Christ is one who stands forth as an ambassador from the court of Heaven, it is utterly impossible for a minister so taught ever to compromise truth. It is not within his power to tamper with the souls of the people committed to his care; and you are my witnesses, that from this pulpit, during nearly a period of two years, I have not ceased to denounce your worldly-mindedness-I have warned you against the vanities of the world, those pleasures, as they are called, in which the world delights; I have not ceased to warn you against the danger of unbelief; I have pressed upon you the solemnity of an eternal state of existence; I have urged you to ponder, reflect, think, pray, search, examine, enquire-it rests, therefore, entirely upon your own consciences. As a watchman I have declared unto you the whole counsel of God. Dear brethren, meet we must-we must meet in eternity. We must meet at the judgment-seat of Christ; then it will be proved, in the face of assembled angels and men, whether the minister, now closing his labours among you, has or has not fulfilled the commission with which he is entrusted; then every adversary's tongue will be silenced, and it will be demonstrated whether what I have been teaching you from this place has not been in the most perfect consistence with the word of the God of truth.

"In regard to this subject, I here affirm that, during the exercise of my labours there is not one doctrine I ever unfolded, which I purpose to retract, there is not one expression which has ever escaped my lips which I will withdraw; I stand firm to the teaching which I have advocated; I make no apology: I have the happiness, a happiness which can give peace to the mind in the prospect of eternity-the happiness of knowing that I have dealt faithfully with your souls; therefore, I once more repeat, I charge your own consciences. We meet again, whether to live with Christ or to part once more and for ever, eternity itself must determine.

"But in allusion to your own responsibilities, I call your attention to the concluding part of the 33d chapter of Ezekiel: Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh from the Lord.' You will understand God is here informing the prophet of a certain class of people who were prepared from time to time to go and hear with the outward ears the message of the Lord. The passage continues, And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear thy words but they do them not.'

"Examine this scripture for yourselves. I leave it with you to consider what has been the main object which you have had in view whilst attending upon my ministry. If, my brethren, you have been brought here on any occasion merely from curiosity, merely to while away an hour, merely to hear the Scriptures interpreted, but at the same time, whilst listening to the most solemn warnings that can fall from the lips of man, your hearts have still gone after covetousness-you have turned your backs on the Prince of Life-then