St Paul's case furnishes a complete example of the missionary ready for his work. Had he to shew the fulfilment, and not the abrogation of the law by Christ? surely the aptest pupil of Gamaliel now converted to the Christian faith was furnished for the work. Were Moses and the Prophets to be harmonized with Christianity?—were the Jewish ritual and ceremonial to be made to typify better things than the blood of bulls and goats for the remission of sins?—were Jewish prejudices to be met, and Rabbinical disputations to be confuted? or was the scepticism of the Sadducee to be cleared up, the pride of the Scribe to be humbled, and the legality of the Pharisee to be exposed?— surely one well versed in their mysteries, taught in their own synagogues, lisping their own language in his infancy, and now lighted in spirit with a live coal from off God's altar of truth, was qualified for the task. But see him turn to the Gentiles. Here he was a philosopher among philosophers, a poet, man of literature, orator and diplomatist,-among poets, literati, rhetoricians, politicians and statesmen. He could be all things to all men in intellect as well as in other things. Analyse his speech at Athens. Almost every clause of it is a refutation of some deep recognized axiom or dogma cherished among the Epicureans, stoics, or other philosophers. Here was a man trained for his work. The acutest of those Athenians, to their cost, soon found out that Paul was no witless babbler after all. Before the unjust Roman judge, and Judæa's puppet king, his burning words savoured not of madness, but of soberness and truth. -- There is much value to be attached to a training in natural science, as recommended by Dr Livingstone. No missionary ought to go out, at any rate into the heathen field of missions, without some knowledge of surgery, medicine, and their attendant branches of scientific ac It President, Admiral Smythe, to whose judgment and kindness I am in this and other matters deeply indebted. was pronounced by Mr Maclear to equal most chronometers in performance. For these excellent instruments I have much pleasure in recording my obligations to my good friend Colonel Steele, and at the same time to Mr Maclear for much of my ability to use them. Besides these, I had a thermometer by Dollond; a compass from the Cape Observatory, and a small pocket one in addition; a good small telescope with a stand capable of being screwed into a tree'." work of a Is the reader This is not an easy question to answer: fitted for the and a reply to it must always be given prayerChristian Mis- fully. It applies to both sexes, and to many sionary to the persons; but is meant more especially to refer Heathen? to Christian Ministers. Not only does it require earnest prayer, but also rigid self-examination. The great missionary model is St Paul. His life can be found and studied in the New Testament; and the permanence of his work testifies of its excellency at this day. The Natural qualifications of the Christian Missionary. -Dr Livingstone has already told us of some of these, such as good temper, and lightsomeness of temperament in easily throwing off or overbearing depressing influences. A sound mind in a sound body, independence of character, strength of judgment, and aptitude both to learn and to teach are of great consequence. An ability to acquire and retain languages; tact in managing others, so as to conciliate diverse dispositions, and yet to retain proper dignity and self-respect, are of great importance. There should also be an intrepid spirit of enterprise, decision, and cool courage to meet sudden emergencies, and to overcome dangers, gentleness, powers of endurance, and temperance. We may rightly conclude, with our traveller, that some 1 Travels, pp. 230-231, degree of enthusiasm is necessary vigorously to carry on any difficult and important cause. Good preaching and the power of speaking are indispensable. It is to be remembered that many savages, especially North American Indians, and central Africans, are eloquent speakers, and hence in a controversy, would have the advantage of a bad speaker. Paul Dr Livingstone has put the case truly, when he says that we want our best, most able, and greatest men to do the highest and most important of all work, the making Christ's Gospel known where it has not been hitherto heard. was a great man before he became a missionary. He was a man of mighty spirit and capacious soul, a good scholar, and in high repute among his own nation. His missionary character made him a greater man still; it did not demean him. Many of the greatest men in the early Church were missionaries; and some were men of affluence. We mean great in moral and spiritual goodness and grandeur of character, as well as noble in intellect. Not many learned, not many wise, not many noble, not many rich, now carry the standard of the Prince of Peace into the enemy's country of heathen darkness. The time will arrive when the Lord's service and badge will become the most honourable and the most desired of all. The army and navy, in every land, can find their willing warriors in abundance, to go to the ends of the earth, and brave death unquailingly, while mammon sends forth her worshippers in shoals; not so the church of Christ: her soldiers hang back. How long shall this be? Many of the natural qualifications needed by missionaries when actually engaged in their work, are centred in the character of our great missionary traveller. With reference to these the Bishop of Oxford eloquently observes; "Truly it does need the combination of different men and different faculties before any such vast undertaking as this can be according to whatever was needed for ourselves or for the people; if for the latter, they worked for us in the garden, or at some other employment; skilled labour was thus exchanged for the unskilled. After dinner and an hour's rest the wife attended her infant-school, which the young, who were left by their parents entirely to their own caprice, liked amazingly, and generally mustered a hundred strong; or she varied that with a sewing school, having classes of girls to learn the art; this, too, was equally well relished. During the day every operation must be superintended, and both husband and wife must labour till the sun declines. After sunset the husband went into the town to converse with any one willing to do so; sometimes on general subjects, at other times on religion. On three nights of the week, as soon as the milking of the cows was over and it had become dark, we had a public religious service, and one of instruction on secular subjects, aided by pictures and specimens. These services were diversified by attending upon the sick and prescribing for them, giving food and otherwise assisting the poor and wretched. We tried to gain their affections by attending to the wants of the body. The smallest acts of friendship, an obliging word and civil look, are, as St Xavier thought, no despicable part of the missionary armour. Nor ought the good opinion of the most abject to be uncared for, when politeness may secure it. Their good word in the aggregate forms a reputation which may be well employed in procuring favour for the Gospel. Shew kind attention to the reckless opponents of Christianity on the bed of sickness and pain, and they never can become your personal enemies. Here, if anywhere, love begets love" 1 Travels, pp. 40—41. Missionary Prospects in South Africa. "Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand." 1 Kings xviii. 43, 44. Dr Livingstone's career must be considered as opening out a new æra for South Africa. Although the missionary prospects of this region were before and are improving, still clouds and sunshine chequer the rising scene. Yet, in the event, the dawn of the morning of joy shall usher in upon this continent and elsewhere, the rising of the Sun of righteousness, which shall be for the healing of the nations, streaming with undiverted ray in azure and purple and gold over the everlasting hills of eternity, dispelling those doubts, fears and perplexities, as well as the unbelief and sinfulness which prevent the soul from seeing and being united with her Creator. The Mission-field in South Africa. "Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest." St John iv. 35. In the infant days of the Church, Africa seemed destined to be evangelized from the north. Such is not at present the prospect. Then were Councils and Synods held by African bishops, the decrees of which went forth apparently as a final authority in matters ecclesiastical, not only in Africa, but also in Europe and Asia. Then was the glory of the early Church upheld at Alexandria and Carthage, these cities being great centres of episcopal authority. Then did African martyrs and African confessors live the lives of saints and die the deaths of Christian heroes. Then were intellect, rank and the best qualities of our nature, sanctified and adorned by Christian gifts and graces, which made Africa appear to be the chosen genial soil wherein grace, mercy and truth might germinate and fructify. But no; all there is now almost a |