tive roots or verbal signification, we may then follow them through their various inflexions, and note the variety of senses in which they are used. This will enable us to determine with tolerable accuracy, the idea which ought to be attached to such words in any particular connexion. And it ought to be remembered, that very often, the meaning of an emphatical word in a sentence, can only be determined by the circumstance of its being there used, or from the general scope and design of the writer in committing his thoughts to writing. This last consideration will induce a cautious modesty in our appeals to the ideal or radical meaning of terms in order to determine the truth of any leading doctrine of Christianity; as the more we canvass this subject, the more we shall be convinced that this will be done more effectually from the analogy of faith, and from the general declarations of Scripture, than merely from philological criticism.

The observations we have made upon this subject, are not limited in their application to the knowledge of any one particular language. But as the Holy Scriptures were originally written in the Hebrew and Greek, such a knowledge of these two languages, as to be able to trace important and emphatical Scripture phrases back to their simple terms, and the simple ideas for which they stand, is of great use in the study of theology; and it is also admitted that from whatever source the words in common use may be derived, an ability to ascertain their etymological sense, is an acquisition of useful knowledge. Our own language being derived from a variety of sources, and continually accumulating by the introduction and naturalization of foreign words, it requires a vast compass of grammatical knowledge to understand its etymology. To this height of literary eminence few can hope to attain. But all those who profess to be sent of God to instruct mankind in the most interesting and sublime of all sciences, should endeavour to furnish themselves with as much of this sort of information, as will enable them to defend the truth against the assaults of cunning and designing adversaries. If it be made subservient to the main end of their mission, the salvation of souls, it will be sanctified unto them, and be made a useful auxiliary in defending the truth.

(To be continued.)

From Penn's Maxims.

Industry is certainly very commendable, and supplies the want of parts.

Patience and diligence, like faith, remove mountains.

Never give out while there is hope; but hope not beyond reason: for that shews more desire than judgment.

Communicated for the Methodist Magazine.

The substance of a speech delivered by the Rev. JAMES SMITH of Baltimore, before the Baltimore Conference Missionary Society, Auxiliary to the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, at its annual meeting in April, 1823.

Mr. Chairman,

IN seconding the motion to accept the report of the society which we have just heard read, and have it printed under the direction of the managers, I feel myself sustained by considerations the most worthy to influence the human mind.

In acting a part, however humble, whose tendency in communicating facts of Missionary enterprize and success, shall, in any degree, operate to diffuse the Missionary spirit, by affording additional incentive and encouragement to Missionary exertions, every minister of the gospel should feel himself strictly within the spirit and broad provision of the great commission, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature; and Lo! I am with you alway, even to the end of the world."

While other Christian churches, both in Europe and America, were, for years, engaged in exertions with the direct co-operation of Missionary societies, for sending the gospel (to the different quarters of the globe) to the benighted inhabitants of regions of spiritual darkness and death; we contented ourselves with directing our exertions almost exclusively to the object of evangelizing the inhabitants of the United States.

Truly Missionary in the spirit and character of our itinerant institutions, ushering forth preachers of the word of life from our several Annual Conferences, spreading themselves, over so vast a tract of country as the United States and territories included; and finding there much material for operation-much fallow ground yet unbroken up-we, and our fathers, thought but little of extending our labours beyond the means then at our command.

But we hail the day which gave birth to the organization of Missionary societies among us, as ominous of brighter prospects before us; and pregnant with consequences as promising to unborn millions of the human race, as they must be truly heartcheering to every enlightened believer.

We cannot but cherish the hope that the origination of these establishments among us, was designed in the order of human affairs, and perhaps, in the dispensations of a beneficent providence, to form a new and brighter era in the history of Methodism in America.

Our fathers, in bearing off from the extreme of making the gospel a matter of merchandize, seem to have fallen into the opposite one, of impressing the members of our church with the sentiment, that money is of too little importance, in the present circumstances of Christianity, as an auxiliary in propagating the gospel in the earth.

This, perhaps, was among the causes which operated to prevent us so long, from coming forward and organizing Missionary societies for carrying the word of life to the heathen, at home and abroad. But since it is our duty to improve by the vices as well as the virtues of our ancestors in general, even so, also, does it behove us to avoid the errors into which our fathers in the same common cause have been betrayed, by improving the results of their experience.

When it is recollected how prevailing a vice avarice is, and in what rank the New-Testament places this vice, or rather as a fruitful source of many vices; and how great an agency it exerted in the darker ages of the church in procuring for a corrupt priesthood the sceptre of dominion and proscription, it is not at all to be wondered at that the common sense of both preachers and people, should be rigidly exerted in duly scrutinizing and appreciating the objects of pecuniary appropriation, before they should liberally contribute towards them.

But when these objects are found to be clearly such as the whole spirit and tenor of the New-Testament most evidently sanction and approve; and the means proposed for carrying them into effect have, by the test of increasing experiment, acquired an almost undisputed, and actually an unquestionable claim upon our confidence, longer to hesitate, under such circumstances, would, perhaps, be criminal.

Nay, when we reflect with what reluctance the human heart is found to engage in enterprizes which have for their object the best (the spiritual) interest of man, this fact ought to divert our suspicions from abroad, HOMEWARDS; and induce us to bend our wills to the most resolute and steady exertions to cultivate and call forth, in favour of such a cause, the most enlarged liberality and active benevolence. Such, my brethren, is the Missionary cause, on which we have the honour to address you. The Missionary cause, may be said to be emphatically the cause of God. When it is recollected that Christianity is a religion which provides salvation for depraved and guilty man, through a divine Mediator, by the sanctifying influences of the Holy Ghost; and that the gospel is the appropriate means, under God, of conveying the knowledge of this religion to the world; it must appear to every Christian, even on the first blush of the subject, that the propagation of it among all the members of our corrupt and guilty race, is a business of the deepest moment: and one, to subserve the interest of which, every Christian must feel himself bound by the highest social, moral, and religious obligations.

On the importance of carrying the gospel to the heathen, there are, however, two extremes which are, perhaps, equally wide of the truth. The one is that which represents the heathen as all indiscriminately doomed to eternal damnation. The other represents their condition, while destitute of the gospel, as being by no

means a deplorable one; as involving no great danger or peril; and that, therefore, we Christians need not trouble ourselves about their case, or needlessly interrupt them in their idolatrous répose, by sending them the light of the gospel. Each of these positions, will perhaps, on close examination, be found to be far from the truth as it is in Jesus. The Scriptures do certainly represent the condition of heathens as very deplorable-perilousand even dangerous. And that it is so, we should conceive must be the fact, if truth, virtue, and piety are intimate allies and friends.

There is one view of the subject, however, which, we think, will commend itself to the conscience of every Christian in the sight of God. It is this: that by how much Christians value the blessings of the gospel, including the information it affords of their origin, their conditions, their relations, their obligations, their prospects and ultimate destination; with all its resources of mental melioration and moral sanctification; by so much must they admit the moral obligation they are under, as friends to mankind, and as duteous children to their father in heaven, to use their utmost exertions to send the gospel to their heathen brethren, of the same common family with themselves.

This view of the subject will appear, if possible, in a still stronger light, if we attend to the condition of the heathen as portrayed by St. Paul in the first chapter of his epistle to the Romans, and contrast it with the views of the glorious liberty and exalted privileges which he sets forth as distinguishing the allotment of every Christian believer, under the gospel, in the v. vi. and viii. chapters of the same epistle.

Here we might summon your attention to the revolting picture of modern unchristianized man. The hundreds, actuated by the most debasing superstition, who annually yield themselves up as voluntary victims to perish under the creeking and ponderous wheel of Juggernaut The millions of human bones which at once pave, and bleach the margins of the roads to this "abomination that maketh desolate"-The numberless victims to a form of distressful and agonizing suicide of human females, voluntarily devoting themselves to perish upon the graves of their deceased husbands The countless individuals also, who in homage to a desolating superstition, are drowned, annually, in the waters of the Ganges→→ with all the mental, moral, and social degradation into which myriads of our fellow-beings are plunged, from want of the illuminating rays, and softening and re-cheering influences of that gospel which you enjoy-I say, we might call your attention to this revolting picture, each great lineament of which, if drawn at length, would form an argument which would speak volumes in favour of our present plea: but your time and our circumstances, bid us onwards to a conclusion.

There is one view of the subject, however, which we must beg your indulgence to take notice of. The immediate object to which our benevolent contributions and exertions are to be directed, is the civilization and christianization of our Indian neighbours. There are several considerations which should make the improvement and evangelization of these people, an object espepecially interesting to Americans. The very soil upon which you tread, and which by a dexterous abuse of words, you have learned to call your own; and from which you derive the means of your wealth-your pleasure and your aggrandizement, this moment, perhaps, in strictness of justice is theirs. And if ye are enjoying their temporal things, can ye esteem it a hardship that ye should minister to them the means of your spiritual things? ye cannot. Nay this at least appears to be even the mandate of justice at your hands; and how much more urgent, then, is their claim upon your benevolence and Christian charity?

They appear as if placed in our very neighbourhood to furnish a suitable and convenient field for our improvement in the exercise of some of the most distinguishing virtues of our religion. And permit me to ask, what account of our stewardship shall we be able to give, should we neglect the occasion, when called, as sooner or later we shall be, to account for the talents entrusted to us; and for the occupation of the field of labour and usefulness, spread open before us? This may be the only suitable indemnification, which in the present state of human affairs, we may be expected to offer them, and which alone perhaps will utimately preserve us, (if even that will,) from feeling the fearful reaction of those MEASURES, which we have METED TO THEM, in the form of a desolating remunerative justice.

Let us not for a moment suffer ourselves to be betrayed into the conclusion, that on account of ostensible advantages, our mountain stands sure; since the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; and the destinies of nations, as well as the allotments of individuals are equally at the disposal of him, who said, "Let there be light."

Besides, what an additional field of labour is opening on our own quarter of the globe, in our very national neighbourhood, for the exercise of our Christian charity and ministerial industry, in South-America! Behold this field also is ripening "to harvest!"

There is still a point of view, in which this subject has not been brought before your attention, which deserves, perhaps, to be regarded as among the most important. It is this: that while your Missionaries are actively engaged in labour, in toil, in privation, directing the savage and untutored mind, not only how to think, but how to know and love its Maker, Preserver, and Redeemer; you who are at home, enjoying the comforts of civilized life, and Christian society, have it in your power effectually to