the country being generally as accessible without doors as they are inaccessible within doors, and accustomed to receive much of their own public religious instruction in temporary tabernacles or under the open canopy of heaven; and not in their dull and dark temples, which are merely shrines for the accommodation of their idols. Occasional or regular preaching in such places as those to which I now refer,-when the consent of parties is obtained and there is no invasion of the rights of property, nor public inconvenience,--is in a high degree useful. It marks to the natives the earnestness of the desire which is felt for their instruction, the self-denial of the Christian teachers, and their accessibility to the whole native community. It is far from being useless, even when the audience is variable, and there are interruptions arising from the curiosity or impertinence of those who are addressed; for some of the great truths which are forcibly, though briefly, announced may find a lodgment in individual hearts. It attracts hearers to the stated services which are elsewhere conducted. It procures opportunities for the distribution of religious books and tracts, and excites attention to their important contents. In order to make it as effectual as possible, there should be a complete abstinence from all merely irritating language, and when, the multitude may be sought, the mob may be avoided. While we have to deliver our message even to publicans and sinners, it is not required of us to cast pearls before swine. Favorable places for this announcement of the truth are the precincts of our own schools, asylums for the poor, and the resorts of the natives who have leisure at their disposal. Many of the natives, when solicited, are ready to give the shelter of their own verandahs to Missionaries."*

QUALIFICATIONS.-No work in which a Missionary engages will task his powers more than streetpreaching:

"To fix the wandering attention of a rude, fluctuating, and often hostile assembly; to calm the turbulence of a crowd, not come together because they are disposed to hear, but drawn by various fortuitous causes; and so to bespeak their favorable regard, as to induce them to listen to the truth; to hear, in short, there own religion depreciated, and a strange system of

* Evangelization of India, pp. 390,1.

doctrine expounded, is certainly a task that requires both nerve and skill.' ""*

A few of the qualifications may be mentioned. An animated and impressive delivery.-This is well enforced by Buyers in the following extract:

"That fluent, energetic, and impressive kind of speaking and manner, which rivets the mind, and keeps every hearer, nolens volens, in a state of attention; and which, from its clearness and tone of confidence, seems almost to paralyse the power of objection, has long appeared to me what is peculiarly adapted to Missionary work. A slow unanimated delivery, however good the matter, does not suit, when the hearers are not themselves desirous of profiting. A good, firm, and distinct voice, such as may be heard over all sorts of whispering and other noises is also necessary to a good Missionary preacher; for if he cannot, without any other aid than his voice, and the pathos and interest of his manner, draw every eye and ear to himself, he will often entirely fail of getting a good hearing." Letters, p. 84.

The reply of Demosthenes, that delivery was the first, second, and third points in oratory, will be remembered.

2. A well-stored mind. The Rev. J. Barton mentioned at the Lahore Conference, that at Agra audiences can now with difficulty be obtained. The Rev. C. W. Forman replied as follows:

"I would say, let the preachers study more, and give the people more variety, and they will obtain better congregations. When people know that they are to hear truths they have heard a thousand times, in almost precisely the same language, it is not to be wondered at, that they will not stop to listen."+

This want of preparation, is a pretty general defect. Many Missionaries who will study with some care before delivering a sermon in English, will trust to the spur of the moment in the vernacular. Buchanan was

* Buyer's Letters on India, p 83,
Report, p. 13,

told, that Swartz "seldom preached to the Natives without previous study, and that he continued a diligent student to the last." A Missionary says of Weitbrecht, "I observed that before going to preach (to the heathen) he invariably sat down with pen and paper, and spent some time in preparation for his address; and there was in consequence a wonderful freshness and variety about his sermons, which those who preach extemporaneously without previous thought never attain.'

The Orissa Missionaries provide themselves with what is called a Bazar Book. The Rev. I. Stubbins thus describes it:

"This is our constant companion. Into it goes every stanza or striking illustration; every new word that we may hear. It also contains a few outlines of addresses suited to different texts, subjects, or occasions. This to a new Missionary is especially valuable, and to him I would say; Never go out without your Bazar Book, note down then and there every new word, every effective argument or illustration, every useful proverb, every thing in short that may prove useful to you. So in reading Native books. This book should be the Missionary's companion, whether in the bazar, market, festival or study, and every thing should go into it." +

3. The meekness of wisdom.-It requires great prudence and judgment to know how to deal with the varying moods of the audience, and to answer satisfactorily the objections which are brought forward. Invincible patience is no less necessary. As already mentioned, deep personal piety and earnest persevering prayer, are indispensable to success.

Repetition. Dr. Mullens, speaking of the changing listeners says,

"If not interested, they will and others come: these also go their places and so there is a

go away after a few minutes, after a time, and others take perpetual current of change

* Memoirs, p. 417.
+ Calcutta Conference Report, p. 58.

going on through the whole service. A wise Missionary will be careful to repeat the essential principle of his discourse three or four times as he goes on; so that all who come may understand the subject he is seeking to enforce, and safely carry it away.

Preaching Houses.-Many Missionaries prefer preaching in open buildings, close to the road-side. There is less noise; seats or mats can be provided which induce the listeners to remain longer; the people feel that the Missionary is on his own ground, and consequently uproarious opposition can be suppressed with greater ease.

Bazar preaching places have not had sufficient attention paid to them. A costly Church has perhaps been provided for the small body of Native Christians; but a wretched building, often little better than a hut, is considered sufficient for the heathen. This is one reason why the hearers are often of the lowest grades of society. There are a few exceptions. Perhaps the best building of this description the writer has seen, is one at Peshawar, erected by Colonel Martin. Either seats or mats should be provided. Mosques are sometimes ornamented with passages from the Koran. A few select scripture texts might be written in large characters on the walls of the verandah.

The heathen will listen in a verandah much more readily than enter a room. There should not be too many steps up.

A graphic account of preaching in such places is given in the Memoirs of Lacroix, pp. 148, 152.

Evening Services have sometimes been tried with advantage. The people at that time have, in general, most leisure, and therefore listen with greater readiness. The place should be well lighted up. If three or four converts sing one or two hymns to favorite native tunes at the commencement, a large audience will soon.

* Memoirs of Lacroix, p. 151.

assemble. One or two additional hymns may form breaks between addresses, or be sung at the close.

Although a few conversions have been known as the direct consequence of preaching in streets or in houses, it must be admitted that the visible results in this respect are lamentably small. A Missionary in North India informed the compiler, that although he had preached nearly every day to the heathen for 18 years, he did not know of a single convert as the fruit. Mr. Lacroix of Calcutta and Dr. Scudder of Madras had to make nearly the same confession.

Dr. Anderson, of the American Board, in a Letter to Dr. Candlish, thus reviews the preaching of Mr. Lacroix :

"You refer to the late excellent Mr. Lacroix, of Calcutta, in the language of Dr. Duff, as having devoted thirty-six years exclusively to vernacular preaching in all parts of Bengal, with a capacity, and effectiveness, and zeal unrivalled among us; and yet died mourning over the fact, that very few conversions, indeed, had ever been known to result from his faithful and assiduous ministrations. Dr. Mullens informs me that he has prepared a memoir of Mr. Lacroix, which is soon to be published in London, and I shall defer to his representation of facts. But I made the acquaintance of that lamented Missionary when in Calcutta in the year 1855; and while I most cheerfully concur in all you say in his praise, I was greatly pained by my impressions of the chief cause of the failure to which you advert. I did not find that Mr. Lacroix had ever concentrated his labors as a preacher, for a long time, on any one point, with a view of making converts and gathering them into a local Church. The Church is the proper and effective nucleus of a congregation, as well as the basis of permanent success in the conversion of heathen men. It was making this a leading object, through the grace of God, that brought about the remarkable change in our Ahmednuggur district; and without some such concentration, some such aim, with faith in the power of the preached gospel, I should never expect to see much success in winning souls anywhere, and still less among the heathen." Page 13.