The illustra

of thought, Mr. Toller's with trains of emotion. tions employed by Mr. Fuller, (for he also excelled in illustration) were generally made to subserve the clearer comprehension of his subject; those of Mr. Toller consisted chiefly of appeals to the imagination and the heart. Mr. Fuller's ministry was peculiarly adapted to detect hypocrites, to expose fallacious pretensions to religion, and to separate the precious from the vile; he sat as "the refiner's fire and the fuller's soap." Mr. Toller was most in his element when exhibiting the consolations of Christ, dispelling the fears of death, and painting the prospects of eternity. We have here an illustration of the varying mental aptitudes and inclinations of men; and we see how they stand in the way of that divided and diversified exhibition of truth, so necessary to its largest results. The duty of the minister in this respect is plain. In order to reach and benefit every class, every variety of cultivation and taste, he must reach after a certain largeness, liberality, and versatility of mind; not be forever one thing in style, and spirit and tone. He must cultivate an aptitude in a great variety of directions. In the first place, pungent, significant intention, in whatever way he does turn; then, the power of turning a great many ways, and of presenting truth in all its parts, motives, and aspects, doctrinal or practical, mild or severe, calm or fervid, gorgeous or simple, logical or hortatory, as the object to be gained, the minds to be affected may require. Ministers, as a general thing, may attain to a good degree, this diversified power, these opposite aptitudes. They must, if they would gain access to the greatest number of minds. If any are sensible of a bias to one class of topics, or one style of exhibition, they can resist this propensity, and range in other modes, and other regions, and must, if they would achieve the largest practicable amount of impression and of good.

3. Another thing on the part of the preacher, requisite to the style of exhibition which has been advocated, is knowledge of men, that accurate knowledge which is gained by a free intercourse with and study of them in all their prejudices, passions, interests, and pursuits. This knowledge is indispensable to the preacher as the means of meeting with any sureness, the exigencies of his flock,-the varying forms of the wide spread malady, the peculiarities of trial, of feeling and belief, which exist within the sphere of his labor, and which demand prompt and special appliances. If he has not the knowledge in question, he

knows nothing as he ought to know. His treasures, gathered from all ages and a universe of books, will avail him but little, in this real work of life and death, if he is destitute of good, plain, homespun common sense. If he has not wit enough, adroitly to guide him in disbursing his treasures, if he is so indiscriminately, so insanely prodigal of them, as to throw them out under swine's feet, he might just as well be loaded with pebbles as with pearls; just as well for the swine, just as well for himself. I must leave this point, though its importance demands a more extended consideration. For here we have a prominent cause why certain men, turn out so differently from what is anticipated. Some, on the one hand of very limited literary and theological advantages, transcend expectation. The reason is, though they have not read the world of books, the folios of the past and the present; they have read, in its best openings, that most original and stirring, and instructive of all books, the real world of character,-living, moving, acting men. They know. the common mind. They understand human nature. Hence all the truth they have, is brought into very significant and effective service. On the other hand, some of large qualifications and promise, disappoint expectation. The reason is, while they are familiar with the world of books, they are sadly ignorant of the world of men,-ignorant of the very beings whom it is their duty and office to save. They do not wield the sword of the Spirit with intelligent and discriminative aim. They do not command respect and gain influence, simply because they know not men. Multitudes, without question, have gone down to the weepings and wailings of endless death, jeering along the way and making themselves merry at some of the indiscretions-the pointless and unfitting appeals, and erratic strokes of the ministry appointed to warn and save them.

4. Moral courage-strength and decision of purpose are demanded for the divided and distinctive style of presentation. It is this style we have seen, which does the execution. A little fragment of truth-a pebble from the brook, by a stripling thrown, will often accomplish more, against even a giant depravity, than a huge mass of rock, cut entire from the mountain, though hurled in the same direction with a giant's strength. It is not the broad magnificent surface, but the presented point which pricks the heart and goads the conscience. And while it pricks and goads, it is apt to irritate. I plead for no rude and causeless exasperation. I have no sympathy with those

who seem to regard themselves as especially set for the defence of the offence of the cross; and who in fulfilment of their commission, strive to make every truth of the gospel as haggard and repulsive as they can. I plead only for the distinctive message, and am sure that truth, in fitting detail, though mildly urged, will often awaken in the wrong doer more heated and threatening displeasure, than any general statement, however roughly and rashly made. It was a close applicatory section of truth which cost the Baptist his head, and which more than once brought the meek Son of God to the verge of death, and finally brought him to the cross. The minister everywhere will encounter a trial in this significant directing and carrying out of his appeals. He needs a fear of God which will lift him above the fear of men.

He will encounter trials of another kind, arising from the exorbitant expectations of the people. While some do not want a great diversity and closeness of application, many do want, in the minister, a great richness and variety of qualification. They seem to insist, that every aptitude, excellency and power shall center in every single man. If they do not all happen to center in their man, they contrive to be dissatisfied. At length, it begins to be whispered, here and there: "True he has many admirable qualities; but there is one other which occurs to us, that he has not. He does this thing well; and that thing well; but that other thing not quite so well as we should like. He preaches well in this direction-well in that-not so well in the other as is desirable."-There are some so very unreasonable that, instead of fixing their eye upon the approved qualities of their minister, and thanking God for the noble endowments actually conferred, they fix their jaundiced gaze upon his deficiency, and look and look till it begins to look dreadfully, and they can bear it no longer. Then they very benevolently say: "His usefulness is at end in this place. He is fitted to do good in some other field, but not in this. We are sure, he is not the man for us." We can only request such people in their judgments about us, poor, imperfect agents, just to consider, that the material is coarse ;-ministers are earthen vessels; and it is not always possible to get the same lump into every celestial shape demanded by their high wrought conceptions.

There are those who will trouble the minister in the prosecution of that course which he feels bound to pursue. They would limit him in his scope of preaching and of action.

Some are ultra in their orthodoxy. They make Calvinism about as rigid and inexorable as fate itself, and they think the only way to benefit the sinner is to hang him upon one of their dry iron hooks, and there let him hang and writhe till God appears, in inscrutable mercy to take him down. There are others of an opposite stamp. Their constant theme and song is free grace. They wish to see everything made easy and inviting. No good is done in preaching, only as encouragement is made to predominate. Whatever the point they are attached to, the minister must keep to, or in their judgment, his labors will be nearly in vain.

There are those who have their favorite causes, or objects; and they would have us make most prominent in our advocacy, the cause they love best, and deem the most important.

There are others who have their favorite classes in the community. To satisfy them that we are employing our talents to the best advantage, we must give special and continued attention in our addresses and labors, to the class, to which they are devoted. Now what shall the minister do? He stands, or ought to stand, on high ground. He sees the whole field of duty ;— has in view all his responsibilities. He is to account for all. Shall he turn his strength and concentrate his attention permanently any one way? A voice from heaven reaches him, saying: DIVIDE, rightly divide the truth, the strength, the solicitude, the prayer, the labor; and give to all that is promising and benignant in christian enterprise, its just measure of influence, and to all the conditions, ages, classes, characters, attitudes, of sinning, suffering man, the appropriate kind and style of doctrine and appeal."

As ambassadors of God, preachers of his truth, we have difficult and responsible duties to perform. Holiness is a crowning qualification. With the mind stayed on God, strength and wisdom shall be received, and that firmness of spirit which the trials and perplexities of our lot demand. Then there shall be a faithful and vigorous dispensation of the word of truth; and the spirit will go with it, and give it a double edge and a sharpened point, and hearts of very adamant shall be pierced or cloven asunder by its strokes, the rebellious submissively bow, and become our helpers on earth, our joy and crown in eternity.

ARTICLE VII.

REVIEW OF MAHAN ON CHRISTIAN PERFECTION.

By Rev. Nathaniel S. Folsom, Providence, R. 1.

Scripture Doctrine of Christian Perfection; with other kindred subjects, illustrated and confirmed in a series of discourses designed to throw light on the way of holiness. By Rev. Asa Mahan, President of the Oberlin Collegiate Institute. Boston: D. S.

King, 1839. pp. 237.`

It was not until after the appearance of Dr. Pond's article in the January number of the Repository, that this volume issued from the press. The nucleus of the book is a sermon first preached in Oberlin, and afterwards published by request in the New York Evangelist, in November, 1838-a date subsequent, doubtless, to the preparation of Dr. Pond's article. The" series of discourses" which it contains, was delivered in the Marlboro' Chapel, Boston; where the author supplied the pulpit during the illness of the pastor. As it takes new positions on the same doctrine that has been advocated by Mr. Finney, and makes new attacks upon the common faith of the Church, it may be due to the cause of truth to discuss the subject still further.

Before examining Mr. Mahan's arguments, there are two things worthy to be noticed. 1. He does not fairly state the question at issue, and the opinions of his brethren who differ from him. 2. It is remarkable, that while he is contending for the doctrine of the actual attainment of perfect and permanent holiness in the present life, as the secret and spring of higher devotedness, which he trusts he has himself found, it was not that doctrine, but another, which put him in possession of the secret. In respect to the question at issue, he thus states it: Is christian perfection attainable in this life? p. 25. No other question is blended with this, in its first statement. But on p. 35, in violation of the laws of just reasoning, there is an amendment introduced, with no previous notice: "We have the same evidence from Scripture that all Christians may, and that some of them will, attain to a state of entire sanctification in this life, that we have that they will attain to that state in heaven.”