the names of the principal islands, viz: Owhyhee, Mowee, Tahoorowa, Ranai, Morotoi, Woahoo, Atooi, Oneehow, and Tahoora; the whole containing about 6,000 square miles. The inhabitants have made rapid progress in the arts of civilization since they became acquainted with Europeans. The worship of idols and the sacrifice of human victims were formerly prevalent; but in 1819 the government and many of the people renounced idolatry, and the king expressed a desire to have missionaries to instruct him and his people. At this time, though the providential movements in Owhyhee, &c. were not known in America, missionaries were on their way thither, having been sent out by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. This astonishing change, under Providence, was brought about principally by the influence of our sea captains and sailors, who informed the natives of what had been done at Otaheite, and assured them "that the whole system of idolatry was foolish and stupid."

We shall give the names of the missionaries, without designating the particular islands upon which they labour, as the latest accounts do not furnish us with these details.

"FROM THE RISING OF THE SUN EVEN UNTO THE GOING DOWN OF THE SAME, MY NAME SHALL BE GREAT AMONG THE GENTILES; AND IN EVERY PLACE INCENSE SHALL BE OFFERED UNTO MY NAME, AND A PURE OFFERING: FOR MY NAME SHALL BE GREAT AMONG THE HEATHEN, SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS."

CAMBRIDGE, MASS.

ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SPECIAL PRAYER FOR THE GENERAL OUTPOUR

ING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

(Concluded from p. 739.)

IV. A fourth reason for this devotional ardour is, THE Delightful CONSEQUENCES WHICH WILL FOLLOW THIS GENERAL OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

This grace is only the forerunner, or, rather, the accompaniment of very signal blessings. They wait the gift of the Holy Spirit. As the Lord declares in Ezekiel: (xxxix. 29.) "Neither will I hide my face any more from them, for I have poured out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord." And still more strikingly in Isaiah: (xxxii. 13. and 15; 16, 17, 18.) " Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers, yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city: until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest: then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. And the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwelling-places, and in quiet restingplaces." From this prophecy it appears that no very great prosperity can be expected previously to this gift. Then, indeed, such will be the abundance of spiritual blessings, that the wilderness will become a fruitful field; and that which is now a fruitful field will, from the greater measure of grace then bestowed, be considered as a forest. To obtain, therefore, a large measure of the influences of the Holy Spirit, is to obtain outward prosperity and inward peace and joy. And the reason is obvious. For, until this blessing be vouchsafed, outward prosperity will produce no real benefit, since it will only induce pride and forgetfulness of God: (Deut. xxxii. 15.) but when the Holy Spirit is poured out, then the causes of misery will vanish. For, are men through His divine influence upon the word of God convinced of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment? that is to say, are their minds really impressed with the hateful nature of sin, with its offensiveness to God, its danger, and its misery? Are they also sensible that there is no effectual relief from its curse and its power, but in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ? Do they see that all judgment or authority is committed to Him, that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father? Sin will be their greatest dread—an interest in the VOL. IX.

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Lord Jesus their one object--and the honouring Him their constant pursuit. The law of God will then appear in its true character, "as holy, just, and good." They will find that in keeping his commandments there is indeed great reward.-How will these principles, carried into practice, banish the wickedness which now produces so much positive misery!

When, also, the Holy Spirit is generally poured out, the love of the world will be overcome. At present, such is the general desire for the wealth or the distinctions of this world, that, the number of competitors far exceeding the objects of pursuit, jealousy and envy, and strife and variance, are continually brought into exercise. Each would be the first and only one can be. When, however, by this divine influence, the desires of the soul are fixed upon the Lord-when he is the object supremely loved--when men are generally saying, "Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us!" (Psalm, iv. 5.)-then those selfish struggles will have no place. It will then be seen "that a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." The distinctions of rank will be sought, not to raise the vanity of the individuals, but for the advancement of the glory of God.

The divisions, also, which now unhappily subsist in the church of Christ, will then be much lessened, if not entirely cease. These divisions owe their origin either to a defect in scriptural knowledge, which occasions mutual errors; or to a want of meekness, which keeps the will positive when the judgment is convinced; or to a scantiness of love, which prevents forbearance on minor topics. These causes will then be removed. When the mind is more enlightened, there will be fewer differences of sentiment-when the spirit of meekness enters, obstinate pertinacity will depart-when love is shed abroad in the heart, Christians will find too much pleasure in its exercise to permit trifles to interrupt its progress.

It is, in truth, delightful to reflect, that this is not an Utopian vision of society. It will take place when a large measure of this Holy influence is given. Then "the nations shall learn war no more; the wolf shall then dwell with the lamb, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them." (Isaiah, xi. 6.) Then "Holiness to the Lord shall be upon the bells of the horses." (Zech. xiv. 20.) "Dust shall be the serpent's meat." (Isaiah, lxv. 25.) "The ransomed of the Lord shall return with songs to Zion: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." (xxxv. 10.)

Surely such a motive as this will unite all Christians in prayer. Who does not long and pant for the time when this earth, hiherto the seat of every dreadful passion, shall be a land of purity and love? Who would not desire to salute the outcasts of Israel with those blessed words, Thy God is thy glory, and the days of thy mourning are ended?" (Isaiah, lx. 19, 20.) Or what heart would not thrill with ineffable rapture to hear the joyful sound, "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of God and of his Christ ?" O that this blessed period may soon arrive! O that the Lord may hasten his coming! Awake, awake! put on strength, O arm of the Lord!" (li.

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9.) "Take to thyself the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost part of the earth for thy possession!"

With such an animating motive to excite the church of Christ, it may perhaps be unnecessary to adduce any other argument; but, as the thought may arise in the mind, these days are too blessed to be speedily looked for-I would offer this final reason for earnest prayer: THE PERSONAL BENEFIT EACH CHRISTIAN WILL DERIVE FROM THIS DEVOTIONAL EXERCISE, EVEN IF THIS UNION SHOULD NOT BE SO EXTENSIVE, OR THE BLESSING SO GENERAL AS IS DESIRED.

Let, then, the Christian recollect, that his own spiritual welfare is intimately connected with this earnest prayer. For is he desirous to be enlightened with the knowledge of Christian truth-that his faith should be strong, his hope lively, his affections spiritual-that his family should be of one mind--that his teachers should be holy, zealous ministers--that his neighbours should be sincere Christians :--who is to effect all this?--It is the Lord, sending His Holy Spirit to bless His word and ordinances. And this the Christian will be most likely to obtain when earnest in prayer. If you take the seasons of your Christian life in which you have been most happy, or most uneasy in your religion, you will find, generally speaking, your peace and comfort have risen or fallen as secret communion with God has been diligently pursued or neglected. This, like a spiritual barometer, will generally give your true state. If this has been your experience when principally seeking your own advancement, be assured it will be still more so when you are enlarging your petitions. The admonition is, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem :" the promise annexed--" They shall prosper that love thee." (Psalm, cxxii. 6.) Our blessed Saviour has directed us to pray for the extension of his kingdom, even before we ask for daily bread. Assuredly it was for our welfare that he taught us this prayer. "The liberal deviseth liberal things, and by liberal things shall he stand." (Isaiah, xxxii. 8.) Whoever else may disappoint us, God never will. His declaration will always stand sure: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all other things shall be added unto you."

These, then, are some of the reasons I would offer to induce all sincere Christians to unite in fervent prayer for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Feeling, however, the vast importance of the subject, and earnestly desiring that this union may be as extensive as possible, I would venture to address myself more particularly to those, whose office makes their co-operation peculiarly desirable. O that the Lord may graciously bless the few observations we attempt to offer-may they be received in the spirit of Christian love, and entered upon with Christian zeal!

Permit me then, my brethren in the Ministry of the Church of England, with that respect which is due to your office, and with that diffidence which becomes one of the least of the servants of the Lord, when venturing to speak to His Ministers, to address myself to you upon this highly important subject. What I write is, I trust, written. in the spirit of brotherly affection; from a desire to stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance." Whatever suggestions I take

the liberty to offer to you, I earnestly entreat your prayers that they may first be impressed upon my own heart.

We speak to you my brethren, as the leaders and guides of the flock of Christ, as those from whom His body, the Church, receives its spiritual nourishment. It becomes us, of all other persons, deeply to interest ourselves in such a subject as this.

Some, indeed, have limited the agency of the Holy Ghost to the first ages of the Church; and have said, because His miraculous powers have ceased, that therefore His inward influence upon the mind and heart had ceased also.

Reason, however, teaches, that if the apostles, gifted with the powers of divine inspiration, required the inward influence of the Comforter upon the hearts of the hearers to make their discourses effectual, such a divine influence must be necessary in the present day. That as long as man comes into the world, "conceived in sin and shapen in iniquity," divine power alone can turn his heart, or make him willing to walk in the ways of God's commandments. We however, require not this argument. Our office in the Church of England, if we have entered upon it in the spirit which the Church requires, is the strongest admission of our belief in the continued influence of the Holy Ghost. With what peculiar solemnity was His office brought before us in our ordination Service!

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It seems scarcely possible for any human ceremony more forcibly to impress upon the mind the great importance of the divine agency the Holy Spirit. Without an humble trust that we were inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost, none of us could ever have presented ourselves for the lowest place in the ministry. And when we received the higher order of priesthood, exhortation, public prayer, secret prayer, invocation by singing, solemn imposition of hands, were all used as means of grace, to bring down the divine influence of the Holy Spirit. (See Ordination Service, passim.)

This reverence to the Holy Ghost at our ordination has been confirmed by our daily services in the sanctuary. In our Liturgy, we constantly acknowledge the great extent and the great variety of His offices.

We, therefore, who are set apart for the office of the ministry, cannot be too deeply impressed with the unspeakable benefits connected with the grant of His divine influences, or too sensible of our own constant need of His gracious aid. That not only our own personal religion, but that all our ministerial success, depends upon the grace of the Holy Spirit. That in studying the Scriptures, in preparing our discourses, in visiting the sick, in our private instructions, in our public prayers and preaching, in short, that in all parts of our ministry we require His divine assistance. "That we are not sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God." (2 Cor. iii. 5.) That no natural talents, or acquired endowments, can supply His gracious office. "That Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, but that God only giveth the increase." 1 Cor. iii. 6.

With this impression upon our minds, with what earnestness should we aim at exciting a spirit of prayer for the general effusion of the Holy Spirit! How anxious should we be that all the sincere Christians in