nothing of, and the available sources of a minister's income are thus reduced to the ordinary earnings of an average mechanic. There can be no doubt, then, that the latter is the better off of the two. The minister cannot, in common decency, send out his children in the same clothing as the artizan can send out his; neither can the wants of his table be so easily or economically furnished. He is subject to the dropping in occasionally of a ministerial brother or some of his own congregation, who may now and then be asked to share his hospitality.* No member of a congregation would like to see his minister in a threadbare coat, patched garments, or a suit of moleskin, though these would be thought nothing of, if exhibited by many of his congregation. Supposing a minister's family to consist of six, which cannot be above the average, and the available residue of stipend, after deducting the liabilities already referred to, to be £50 or £70. this just gives about £11 or £12 a year, or about 12s. a week to each for clothing, sustenance, and education. And should there be any sickly member, not an uncommon occurrence,-the necessary incidental expenses occasioned by this circumstance, will bring down the average of the other members even below that sum. Now if this be true, and no one can dispute it, even where the amount of stipend is £150, how very sadly situated must that minister be, who, perhaps, has not more than £100. With such pinched means, his mind must ever be racked to devise other methods of securing a subsistence. If he be a successful and efficient pastor, it must be in spite of his circumstances, which are certainly not calculated to make him so. It is an utter impossibility for him to have that ease of mind necessary for thorough pulpit preparation, requiring, as it does, continuous and deliberate study. If a congregation will not, from

The qualification of being "given to hospitality" is reckoned by the inspired apostle as equally necessary in a minister with being "apt to teach," and even precedes it in order; but this he cannot exhibit unless he be furnished with the means to do it.

higher motives, be induced to give their pastor a suitable maintenance, let them do so for their own spiritual benefit. Superior pulpit ministrations can only be expected, in the very nature of things, from him whose mind is a stranger to pecuniary difficulties. When a minister becomes involved in debt, his local influence and character are greatly weakened. None perhaps will be louder in condemning him than those whose stinted liberality has been really the cause of it. "The situation of that man," says Dr. Guthrie, "is far from enviable who is expected to maintain certain appearances in society, and has not the power of doing so; who is thrown, with a large and generous heart, into scenes of distress only to have it wounded by his inability to relieve them; who often feels himself exposed to the suspicion of meanness, when, in point of fact, he and his partner pass many a bitter hour considering how they shall not disgrace the manse, the ministry, and their Master, by standing debtor in the world's books; and whose steps to the house of sorrow, to bridal and to burial scenes, to his study and his very pulpit, are haunted by a spectre-that spectre, debt. The man who has his back loaded with the burden of debt, or the energies of a once elastic mind pressed down by the fear of it; who is called to be respectable in appearance, to be generous in his charities, and hospitable at home, and is denied the means of doing so, is cruelly used; he is called to make bricks, and refused straw. Feeling that, if he had carried to any other market, devoted to any other profession, his industry and unblemished character, his long years and weary nights of study, the genius and talents which God has given him, he would have secured for himself both comforts and affluence; that man may be ready, with God's grace, to carry his Master's cross, yet harrassed and dis tressed, the black shadow of debt upon his path, with accounts on his table he does not know how to meet, and with children around him, happy in their ig norance of a father's difficulties, whom he does not well know how to feed, and

that having paid for their seat, and given their mite, as they justly term it, at the church doors, not so much as a contribution, but because they could not in decency pass it by, they have fully discharged their pecuniary obligations. The payment of seat-rent is as much the payment of a debt as the payment of a butcher, or a baker's account. The church door collection is an appropriate method by which voluntaryism should manifest itself. Many of our smaller congregations do their duty nobly, and reflect honour upon their principles. One of them, with between sixty and seventy members, gives its pastor £120 and a manse; and another, under one hundred, gives their pastor £150 and a manse. Their conduct might well put to the blush some town congregations, who, with five times the number of members, rest satisfied with giving that insufflcient stipend. May duty and justice speedily prevail, and the hearts of our people yield to liberal measures, so that our pastors may without difficulty "provide things honest in the sight of all

We now beg to address a special word or two to the respective classes into which our churches are divided.

We appeal first to those, and we rejoice that their number is confined to the units, who repudiate the interference of the Synod's committee, and consider it a violation of the voluntary principle. Your objections, brethren, may be conscientious, but they are not

We seriousiy think that you either have mistaken the principles of our church, or that you do not yet rightly understand them. Your opinions on this point savour more of con gregationalism than of presbyterianism. The very essence of presbyterianism, as we understand it, consists in a proper surveillance being exercised by the su perior church courts, and the com mittees which they appoint, for the in terests and welfare of the churches under their charge. Now, the proper maintenance of the ministry is one of the surest iudications of health and

prosperity in a torch. The Stood's comes has never contemplated Soa more un to attempt persuading

COMEZATRUDER 25 & sense of Corp. No que creans of the exereise of compul SOL 1 De mer. It has not erer commanded because it has not the pover to enforce obedience to its injuneIt has only sendered wholesome acrise and endeavoured to stir you 1 by putting you in remen brazze BY MLEDE YOU pastors' directEST LJUDBE more comfortable, for indirectly promote your own conform Strey day artirety on earth has a right to urge

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upon a comeration it is the elurth corporate and its representatives. What is the difference in a presbytery refusing to moderate a call the members of a church have promised to fortni a suitable maintenance to the pastor, and urging them to implement their engagement, or if possible to exceed their original promise! Every congregation stands morally pledged 13 furnish, to the extent of its ability, an adequate support to the minister. Committee simply er joins the discharge of this imperative duty in those cases where the stipend falls below the Whenever the committee is satisfied that the people have done all they can, and yet have failed, means will be taken to aid them. The taking of an obligation will be voluntary, but the obligation, when taken, becomes binding, and the discharge of it is not voluntary. It is true, we do not give bonds and bills to our ministers as securities for due payment of stipend; but surely a body of professing Christians must regard duty or a promise as obligatory as either a bond or a bill. It is, perhaps, replied by some of the churches to which we now refer: "We have done all we can and can do no more." You did not say so to the committee. Had such been your reply, yon would have placed yourselves on a much more favourable footing in the estimation of the church at large. The committee is left entirely ignorant, as far as you are concerned, as to the extent of your ability. It has good reason to

efforts have been made to liquidate the burdens on manses and churches, but you are surely not going to relapse into your previous state of inertia, and leave your pastor just where he was, without being a penny the better. While you think it inexpedient to move in the matter, remember that he is suffering grievous injury. Do you say "let him just go on as he is doing, we never heard him complain, and it is time enough to do it when he speaks out." It is not unlikely that you would be amongst the first to cry out against him for displaying an avaricious spirit, were he to breathe a whisper on the subject Your pastor does not speak out, and some never will do it; they would rather pine away, continuing to endure the anguish of genteel starvation. Is it judicious or just on your part to procrastinate your duty? Would it not be much more gratifying to his mind to receive an advance spontaneously? Would it not give a most powerful impetus to the more efficient discharge of his pastoral labours? The more convenient season of Felix. we have good reason to believe, never arrived, and we very much fear it will be so with you. Some of you are still oppressed with debt from which you are writhing to extricate yourselves; but your pastor raust of necessity be the greatest sufferer, and you are, perhaps, appropriating to this purpose what virtually is not your own, but his. "This onght ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." It may be questioned whether you are at liberty, as Christians, to send your means to foreign fields, until you have given your own minister a proper remuneration for his labour.

A third class of churches occupying in numbers a middle place, has already done the work, and at once advanced to the ultimate minimum of £150. Others have arrived at the lesser minimum of £120. Another portion have considerably augmented their ministers' stipends. The exertions of such churches breathe a most delightful spirit, and exhibit the benefits of being reminded of their duty. They entered most cordially into the work, and gave the committee the credit of

originating it. This has been accomplished, even without any deputation. You have done well, brethren, and are worthy of all praise. May you enjoy the stability promised in the declaration of scripture, "The liberal deviseth liberal things, and by liberal things shall he stand!"

To the churches in general we have still a word to say. You have all a duty to discharge, and a portion of this burden to bear. It is not sufficient that your minister's stipend be above the minimum, try and make it better. slight increase in your weekly contributions will do much towards it. But more especially you must help your weaker brethren, by "contributing as God hath prospered you" A collection will be made for this purpose throughout the churches in the month of March. Let nothing interfere with it, or set it aside. The deep poverty of the Macedonian churches abounded unto the riches of their liberality, for the saints at Jerusalem. Let it be a matter of conscience with you. Do not consider how little you can with a good grace get off with, but rather how much you can spare. Many grudge not to spend a few pounds at this season on festivity and enjoyment, which, though right and proper, are yet absolutely lost, when compared with the object for which we now solicit a portion of your means. that giveth to the poor lendeth unto the Lord, and that which he hath given will He pay him again." "There is that scattereth and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty." If a small body, like the Reformed Presbyterians some years ago, succeeded in bringing up the stipends of their ministers to £100, surely we ought to be able to bring up ours to £150. It is plain that the present state of things ought not to last. If it is to be continued, where will it end? What will become of our church? It will not do to say, do as we have done. Good as our ministry is, and it will bear comparison with the ministry of any other church in Scotland, who will venture to affirm

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tion away from the pulpit; and that the parents who would otherwise have reared some

hopeful youth for the church, will shrink from devoting their Samuel to a life of hopeless hardship, satisfying their conscience with this that he may serve God in another profes

They are short-sighted, indeed, who sion. fancy that poverty provides any protection against unworthy ministers. When you have reduced the stipend down to the wages, or as some of them, in point of fact, may be shown to be, below the wages, of an expert tradesman, what have you gained? What is your security worth? Do you forget that there is beneath even the condition of a common labourer? To these the most miserable provision for the ministry promises advantage.”

a class beneath the status of a tradesman

There is much truth in the saying of Matthew Henry, "A scandalous maintenance makes a scandalous ministry."

Were wealthy congregations to single out one or more weak churches, and take them under their charge, much good might be effected. This is only doing at home what some churches are already doing in foreign fields. is little doubt that in the course of time, the direct and healthful influence of such fostering care would communicate increasing strength, and ultimately enable them to maintain themselves. Thus would ye "bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." The collection shortly to be made is as important as any which the church can be called upon to make. It is only when charity is rightly exercised at home that it goes outwards in search of other objects upon which to exert itself. Let the committee be furnished with a sufficient exchequer, and the church may depend on it that assistance will only be given where it is absolutely required. failure of this scheme would prove most disastrous to our church; but brethren we are persuaded better things of you though we thus speak.

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