and he shall reign for ever and ever. The glorious things spoken of the church are not all confined to the days of the millennium : many of them will go before it, in like manner as the victorious days of David went before the rest, or pacific reign of Solomon, and prepared its way. Previous to the fall of Babylon, an angel is seen flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth; and before that terrible conflict in which the beast and the false prophet are taken, the Son of God is described as riding forih on a white horse, and the armies of heaven as following him. The final ruin of the antichristian cause will be brought upon itself by its opposition to the progress of the gospel. The sum is, that the time for the promulgation of the gospel is come ; and if attended to in a full dependence on the promise of the Spirit, it will, no doubt, be successful.-The rough places in its way are smoothing, that all flesh may see the salvation of God. The greatest events pertaining to the kingdom of heaven have occurred in such a way as to escape the observation of the unbelieving world, and it may be of some believers. It was so at the coming of our Lord, and probably will be so in much that is before us. If we look at events only with respect to instruments, second causes, and political bearings, we shall be filled with vexation and disquietude, and shall come within the sweep of that awful threatening, Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operaton of his hands, he will destroy them and not build them up. But if we keep our eye on the kingdom of God, whatever become of the kingdoms of this world, we shall reap advantage from every thing that passes before us. God in our times is shaking the heavens and the earth: but there are things which cannot be shaken. Wherefore, we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear, THE SITUATION OF THE WIDOWS AND ORPHANS OF CHRISTIAN MINISTERS, &c. DEAR BRETHREN, THE subject to which we this year invite your attention is, The Situation of the Widows and Orphans of Christian Ministers and of Ministers themselves, who, by age or permanent affliction, are laid aside from their work.* We have not been used to address you on subjects relating to our own temporal interests; nor is this the case at present: for the far greater part of those who have been most active in forming the institution for which we plead, have no expectation of deriving any advantage from it; but feeling for many of their brethren, are desirous of alleviating their condition. Mercy is a distinguishing character of the religion of the Bible, especially to the fatherless and the widow. The great God claims to be their protector and avenger. A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widow, is God in his holy habitation. Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry.—And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword: and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. Mercy to the fatherless and the widow is introduced as a test of true religion. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. The affliction of the fatherless and the widow is a subject taken for granted. From the day of their bereavement, dejection takes possession of their dwelling, and imprints its image on every object around them. And when *This Letter was the last paper the Author prepared for the press; and before it was read at the Association, his own wife was a widow, and his children orphans. : to this is added, that from that time their sources of the necessaries of life are in a great measure dried up, a full cup of affliction must needs be their portion. At first many feel for them, and weep with them but time and a number of similar cases wear away these impressions; and being unprotected, it is well if they be not exposed to oppression and even where there is no particular want of kindness towards them, yet, their cases being but little known, are often but little regarded. The widows and fatherless children of ministers have peculiar claims on the benevolence of the churches. The ministerial profession, like that of arms, requires the subjects of it, if possible, not to entangle themselves with the affairs of this life, that they may please him who has chosen them to be soldiers. On this ground, a large proportion of ministers, living entirely on the contributions of their hearers, have no opportunity of providing for their fami lies after their decease. You, brethren, by the blessing of God on your diligent attention to business, are generally enabled to meet this difficulty. You have business in which to bring up your children from their early years, but they seldom have; and when you have taught them an honourable calling, you can spare something to set them up in trade, but it is rarely so with them. Yet the post occupied by your ministers is honourable and important. Regardless of the sneers of the irreligious, they feel it to be so. To be chosen and approved by a Christian congregation, next to the choice and approbation of Christ, is their highest ambition. This honour, however, involves them in circumstances which require your consideration. You expect them to maintain a respectable appearance, both in their persons and families: but to do this, and at the same time to pay every one his due, often renders it impossible to provide for futurity. Our churches, when in want of ministers, are solicitous to obtain men of talent. There may be an excess in this desire, especially where personal godliness is overlooked; and it is certain that great talents are far from being common. But view Christian ministers as a body, and we may appeal to you whether they be not possessed of talents, which, if employed in business, would, with the blessing of God ordinarily bestowed on honest industry, have rendered both them and their families equally comfortable with you and yours. And shall their having relinquished these temporal advantages to serve the cause of Christ, and to promote your spiritual welfare, be at the expense of the comfort of their widows and children when they have finished their course? In the persecuting times which preceded the Revolution of 1688, our Protestant dissenting forefatherrs had but little encouragement to provide for futurity, as the fruits of their industry were taken from them: but it is not so with us; our property is secure; and we are therefore able to contribute to those benevolent objects which tend to the good of mankind. It was an object that attracted the attention of our fathers early in the last century, to provide for the widows of their ministers ; and a noble fund it is which was then established in London for the widows of the three denominations. Besides this, a liberal plan has been pursued within the last two and twenty years to increase the sum, by an addition from the profits of a magazine. It is not to supersede these benevolent means of relief, but to add to them according to the exigencies of the times, and to include not only widows, but superannuated ministers and orphans, that societies like ours have of late been formed in various counties and religious connexions. The case of superannuated ministers, or ministers who by affliction are permanently laid aside from their work, has a serious influence on the well-being of the churches. Where no provision of this kind is made, every humane and Christian feeling revolts at the idea of dismissing an aged and honourable man, even though his work is done. Yet if the congregation continue to support him, they may be unable to support another. The consequence is, in a few years the congregation is dwindled almost to nothing. To meet these cases, along with those of the fatherless and the widow, is the object of this institution. Brethren, we feel it an honour to be supported by the free contributions of those whom we serve in the gospel of Christ. To receive our support as an expression of love renders it doubly valuable. And if you view things in a right light, you will esteem it a privilege on your part. If your places of worship were ready built for you, your ministers supported, and their families provided for, would it be better? Would you feel equally interested in them? Would you not feel as David did when Araunah the Jebusite offered his threshing floor, his oxen, and his wood? Nay, but I will not offer burnt-offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing! Should any object, that ministers ought to set an example of trust in their Heavenly Father, who knoweth what things they need, and of leaving their widows and fatherless children with him ; we answer, when all is done that can be done to alleviate their wants, there will be abundant occasion for these graces. The trust that we are called to place in our Heavenly Father does not however preclude the exercise of prudent foresight, either in ourselves, or in the friends of Christ towards us for his sake. It is one of the most lovely features of our mission in the East, that while our brethren are disinterestedly giving up all their temporal acquirements to the cause in which they are engaged, they have provided an asylum for their widows and orphans; so that when a Missionary dies, he has no painful anxiety what is to become of them. They have a home, which some have preferred to their native country. Is it any distrust of the Lord's goodness to be thus tender of those who are flesh of their flesh, and bone of their bone, and who have helped to bear the burden of their cares? Say rather, Is it not a truly Christian conduct? But if so, why should we not go and do likewise? It is one of the most endearing traits in the character of our Lord Jesus Christ, that while the salvation of the world was pending, he did not neglect to provide for his aged mother. Joseph is thought to have been dead for some years, and Mary seems to have followed Jesus, who, while upon earth, discharged every branch of filial duty and affection towards her. But now that he is going to his Father, who shall provide for her? Looking down from the cross on her, and on his beloved disciple, he saith to the one, Behold thy son! and to the other, Behold thy mother! What exquisite sensibility do these words convey. To her it was say ing, Consider me as living in my beloved disciple; and to him, Vol. VIII. 60 |