A minister should consider, too, that few will venture to speak to a public man. It is a rare thing to hear a man say-"Upon my word that thing, or your general manner, is defective or improper." If a wise man says this, he shews a regard, which the united stock of five hundred flatterers will not equal. I would set down half the blunders of ministers to their not listening to animadversion. I have heard it said-for the men, who would animadvert on us, talk among themselves, if we refuse to let them talk to us- -I have heard it said, "Why don't you talk to him?”. "Why don't you talk to him! because he will not hear!"

Let him consider, moreover, that this aversion from reproof is not wise. This is a symptom of the disease. Why should he want this hushing-up of the disorder? This is a mark of a little mind. A great man can afford to lose: a little insignificant fellow is afraid of being snuffed out.

A minister mistakes who should refuse to read any anonymous letters. He may, perhaps, see nothing in them the first time; but, let him read them again and again. The writer raises his superstructure, probably, on a slight basis; yet there is generally some sort of occasion. If he points out but a small error, yet THAT is worth detecting. In the present habits of men, it is so difficult to get them to tell the naked truth, that a minister should shew a disposition to be corrected; he should shew himself to be sensible of the want of it. He is not to encourage idle people: that could be productive of no possible good.

These are some of the reasons for a minister's encouragement in a judicious manner, of animadversion on himself in his hearers.

Sometimes, however, a man will come who appears to be an impertinent man, independently of what he has to remark-a man who is evidently disposed to be troublesome. Such a man came to

me, with--"Sir, you said such a thing that seemed to lean to the doctrine of universal redemption. Pray, Sir, may I speak a little with you on that subject?" The manner of the man at once marked his character. He seemed to bring with him this kind of sentiment-"I'll go and set that man right. I'll call that man to account." It was a sort of democratic insolence of mind. Instead of answering him as he expected, I treated him as a child. I turned it into an occasion of preaching a sermon to him: "Sir, do you come to instruct me, or to be instructed? Before we enter on a question which has exercised the greatest men, we want a preparedness of mind: we want a deep humility-a teachableness-a spirit of dependence of which you seem to me to have but little."

On the other hand, a man may come, quite as ignorant as the other, yet a simple character. I have distressed him. Though he cannot, perhaps, be made to understand what he inquires aboutyet a minister should say to himself, "Have I puzzled him? He is wounded, and he comes for help.”

A minister should remember that he is not always to act and speak authoritatively. He sits on his friend's chair, and his friend says his things to him with frankness. They may want perhaps a little decorum; but he should receive them in the most friendly and good-humoured way in the world. A thing strikes this man and that man: he may depend on it, that it has some foundation.

But there are persons, whom a minister should more than encourage to animadvert on him. He should employ them. He should explain himself to them. He does not merely want an account of his sermon, but he employs them on business. To such sensible persons, he will say "What serious judgment do you form of my preaching? Do tell me what sort of man I am."

A minister has to treat with another sort of hearers uncandid men, and yet men of capacity: a sort of men, who are not now pleased, and then displeased. They spy a blot every where. He is likely to make a mistake with regard to such men: "What signifies the opinion of that man? That man can never be pleased." True! that man cannot be pleased, but it does not follow that he tells you no truth. In treating with such a man he should say-His edge may be too keen, for candor and sound judgment; yet if it lays open to me what I could not otherwise see, let me improve by its keenness. What hurt can he do to me? He may damp or irritate others, by talking thus to them; but let me learn what is to be learnt from him." Such a man lifts a minister from his standing, where he settles down too easily and firmly. If I know a man to be of this class, I will distinguish: "This is the man: but that is myself!" If I would write a book to stand the fire, let me find out the severest censor. My friend is but half the man: there is a consentaneousness of sentiment between us: we have fallen in together, till we scarcely know how to differ from each other. Let the man come who says "Here I can discover you to yourself; and there!" The best hints are obtained from snarling people. Medicaments make the patient smart, but they heal.

Yet a minister must not take this in the gross. He is not to invite rude men round his door. If he suffers his hearers to treat him irreverently-if he allow them to dispute with him on every occasion -he will bring ruin on the Church. The priest's lips must keep knowledge. If a parent allow his children to question every thing, so that nothing is to be settled without a hundred proofs they will soon despise their teacher, for they will think themselves able to teach him. The minister must have decided superiority and authority, or he will

want one of the principal qualities of his ministry, This is not inconsistent with receiving hints. He may mistake in some things: but he should mark the complexion of his congregation in deciding how far they are to be heard on his mistakes. If the people are heady, forward, confident in their own sense, they are never to be encouraged. They are gone too far.

On the Limits which a Minister should put to the indulgence of his curiosity, with regard to Public Exhibitions.

AN extreme is to be avoided. Some persons would condemn even rational curiosity. But the works of the Lord are great: sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. I would not object therefore, to visit the museum; or to go to see the rare natural productions often exhibited. I would enlarge, too, my views of man and the world, by frequenting the panoramas of cities. And though I would not run after every sight, yet I would use my liberty in selecting.

But some are in an opposite extreme. They are found every where. But he, who sustains a character of a scribe of the kingdom of heaven, ought not to be found every where. The man, who is seeking a heavenly country, will shew the spirit of one whose conversation is there.

There is something in religion, when rightly apprehended, that is masculine and grand. It removes those little desires, which are "the constant hectic of a fool."

Every thing of the drama, and whatever is so distinctly the course of this world, must be shunned. If a minister take one step into the world, his hearers will take two. Much may be learnt from the sentiments of men of the world. If a man of this character who heard me preach, should meet me

where he would say, "Why I did not expect to see you here!"-then he ought not to have seen me there.

There must be measure and proportion in our attention to arts and sciences. These were the very idols of the heathen world: and what are THEY, who now follow them with an idolatrous eagerness, but like children, who are charmed with the sparkling of a rocket, and yet see nothing in the sun?

Yet I would not indulge a cynical temper. If I go through a gentleman's gallery of pictures I would say "This is an admirable Claude!" but I would take occasion to drop a hint of something higher and better, and to make it felt that I fell in with these things rather incidentally than purposely. But all this must be done with tenderness and humility: "I tread on the pride of Plato," said Diogenes, as he walked over Plato's carpet: "Yes -and with more pride," said Plato.

"THEY pass best over the world," said queen Elizabeth, "who trip over it quickly: for it is but a bog. If we stop, we sink."

I would not make it my criterion-"Christ would not come hither!" I must take a lower standard in these things. I am a poor creature, and must be contented to learn in many places and by many scenes, which Christ need not to have frequented.

On the Means of Promoting a Spirit of Devotion in Congregations.

LET us ask, "What is man?" He is a creature of feeling, as well as of intellect. We must interest him as we can. It is unphilosophical to depend on the mere statement of truth. No doubt there is a contrary error: for what is the end of exciting attention, if there is nothing deserving attention?

It is of the first importance, to PUT MEANING, into every part of the service. In either extreme, of appealing to the understanding or the feelings,