But, Mr. President and Christian friends, after all their proud vaunting, pray tell me what heathen shores have they ever visited for purposes of mercy? What funeral pyre have they ever extinguished? What dumb idol have they ever cast down from its pedestal? What nation have they ever lifted up from its barbarism and degradation? What profligate have they ever reclaimed? What sorrowful heart have they ever cheered? Where, to-night, are their earnest, self-sacrificing missionaries? are organizations for the amelioration of human suffering and the extension of wholesome and blessed truth in the world? Where are their Pauls, their Barnabases, their Wesleys, Wilberforces, Thomas Cokes, Asburys, Howards, Phebes, Dorcases, Night_ ingales, and Elizabeth Frys? I ask it with confidence and with Christian exultation. In vain I wait for an answer-there cometh none. Sir, we must come to Christ; we must drink in his spirit, for it is there, and there only, we will find the source and the fountain of this missionary spirit which is so needful and so indispensable. The theory and practice of missions, as I take it, can be expressed almost in a single sentence. It is love to the blessed Lord Jesus Christ, who has bought us with his blood, drawing forth the stream of human sympathy, human affection, and human endeavor-a stream which, by an invariable law of nature and of God, seeks the lowest place for let me say to you that Christian compassion, like Christ's compassion, always flows downward, and fixes upon those who need it the most. Was it not so with Paul? The love of Christ constrained him, and he counted not his life dear unto him so that he might but glorify his Saviour, propagate his Gospel, save immortal souls, and finish his course with joy. Mr. President, that great man had been to Calvary; he had been glorying only in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; and now, from this stand-point, he looks out upon the world. With what effect in his case? Was it not to awaken in his experience a self-sacrificing, a life-consuming, a world-embracing love? I will not say, with my brother, that he was the picked missionary of the better and more glorious dispensation. Perhaps he was; most certainly he was a missionary in the profoundest sense, for he was disposed to consecrate his energies, talents, and reputation, his worldly substance, friends, and kindred, aye, life itself, to this great service of saving souls and furthering the divine glory. As we heard remarked this morning, with him

it was a master passion in death. I lingered in the dungeon, I looked over the shoulder of that great servant of Jesus Christ as he wrote his last epistle that he indicted to a faithful Apostle, and I read with the speaker of this morning these words: "I am ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day." Here my brother stopped; but I read on a little further, "And not for me only." There came out his missionary spirit. That would have been too narrow, circumscribed, and selfish for that great heart. "Not for me only "-O, Paul at that hour took in the hundreds of millions of the world's population-"not for me only, but for all those that love his appearing."

Mr. President, of course you will say it is a fancy, and if it is not a fancy it is very extravagant; but I have sometimes thought, even at the time of his decapitation, when his body fell on one side of the block and his head rolled over on the other, that if that trunkless head had been taken up, if those jaws could have relaxed once more, and that tongue, palsied in death, could have been energized for one more utterance, that great man would have enjoyed the privilege of gasping out the sentiment, "It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." It seems to me somehow as if we were constituting a circle. I see my brother yonder who addressed us so delightfully this morning, and I am sure, in making the closing speech of the anniversary, I can fraternally clasp his hand. He dwelt upon the diffusiveness of this missionary enter prise. I can clasp his hand and join with him in saying that the great necessity of preachers and people, of the pulpit and of the pews, of ministers at home and of ministers abroad, is an increased baptism of the missionary spirit. O my God, give it to me here, and give it to me now! With the lapse of time and with the progress of the world, our Methodism has been getting rich, powerful, and prosperous. That may be a blessing or it may be a curse. If as a people or as a religious community we shall grow lukewarm, selfish, and indolent, then you may write "Ichabod" on those beautiful edifices, for the glory will certainly have departed. If, on the other hand, we will associate with our advantages (and they are advantages, I believe) of position, wealth, numbers, and

influence the missionary spirit in unprecedented measure, then we will show ourselves mighty through God; then we will shake the trembling gates of hell, and we will conquer the world for Christ; then we will not fulfill the gloomy prediction of Isaac Taylor when he said, "Methodism is an effete thing, having accomplished its days." That is not so. During the second century we will lead the nations, as heretofore we have led individuals, along the pathway of the Gospel holiness to a blissful and triumphant immortality.

Mr. President, I am not by any means despondent or discouraged, but, on the contrary, I am full of cheerful hope and of Christian confidence. I believe that the clouds above will vanish. I believe that the right is about to conquer.

Clear the way!

A brazen wrong is crumbling into clay.
With that right

Shall many more enter, smiling, at the door.
With that wrong

Shall follow many others, great and small,

That for ages long have held us as their prey.
Men of thought and men of action,
Clear the way.

I believe in the future. I do believe in the government of the future. I think that the day is not distant when the temple of our reconstructed Union is going to rise up in this western world grander and more glorious than ever in the past—a temple that shall be composed of living and lovely stones, each stone polished by the hand of liberal culture, and all the stones united together by the cement of Christian love, the entire structure resting upon a foundation firmer than the everlasting hills. Concord shall be its gate of entrance, and the angel of religion its sentinel; within shall be found justice, purity, and truth, attired in spotless raiment, sitting in dignity, each State apportioning to all their due, and the exhilarating atmosphere of liberty shall fill every part of the magnificent structure, while yonder, at its noble dome, shall be seen waving in beautiful triumph the striped flag of freedom together with the blood-stained banner of the Cross. I believe in the government of the future, and in the Church of the future. I think there is a day not very far distant when from the watch-towers of Asia, once the land of lords many, there shall roll out the exultant

chorus, "One Lord!" when from the watch-towers of Europe, distracted by divisions in the faith, there shall roll up the grateful chorus, "One faith!" when from the watch-towers of our own America, torn by controversies respecting the initiatory rite into the visible Church of our Lord Jesus, there shall roll forth the inspiring chorus, "One baptism!" when from the watch-towers of Africa, as though the God of all the race were not her God-as if the Father of the entire human family were not her Fatherwhen from the watch-towers of neglected and despised Africa there shall roll forth the chorus, "One God and Father of all!" when the sacramental host, scattered all over the face of this lower creation, shall spring upon their feet, and, seizing the harp of thanksgiving, they shall join in the chorus that shall be responded to by the angels, "One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in all; to whom be glory, dominion, and majesty, and blessing for ever!"

Mr. President, these eyes of mine may not see that day of rapture; but if not, then I expect with the great cloud of witnesses to stand yonder upon the glory-illumined battlements of immortality, and looking down, I will surely enjoy the feast of vision. I may not be associated with those who shall send up from the earth the shout that "Jesus reigns;" if not, it seems to me I will crowd a little closer to the throne with all the glorified company, and I will join with them in singing that the kingdoms of yonder world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. O, sir, at the close of this anniversary day, as the result of what I have seen and heard and enjoyed, I resolve to be a better man, and to be a more devoted friend to the missionary cause.

The congregation united in singing the doxology, and the benediction was pronounced by Bishop Janes.

FIFTIETH ANNUAL REPORT.

AFRICA.

Commenced in 1832.

BISHOP ROBERTS, Resident in Africa, HAS EPISCOPAL JURISDICTION.

THE force now in the field is:

Bishop Roberts, with 14 members, which compose the Liberia An

9

Common schools at expense of the mission.
Seminaries.

Except with regard to effective men, the above is the best showing this mission has ever made. It is remarkable that the number of members in the Church steadily increases, while the number of effective ministers steadily decreases by death, and we see no reliable source of supply. We will trust in God, and go forward.

We regret to say we have not received a detailed and statistical report from Bishop Roberts, covering the whole work, as we had hoped; but under date of December 8, 1868, he gives us a report on portions of his work. We accept this the more readily, as we have kept the Church pretty well advised during the year in regard to the movements in Liberia. Bishop Roberts says:

Intelligence from brethren informs us of the progress of the work at several points. Brother J. M. Moore, our efficient supply