opened; and the individual may deplore his error, when the time is past for him to retrieve it.”—p. 30.

The question here discussed, is one of those on which we should have been glad if Dr. Pond's suggestions had been a little more copious. We had supposed that there might be a process of gradual initiation into the duties and trials of ministerial life, which should be better than entering upon them fully at once. Perhaps Dr. Pond's idea is, that there will be enough of this initiatory discipline connected with the usual vacational and other efforts of the last year of a young man's theological course. These, however, are very different from the continuous labors of a five or six month's sojourn in some particular place or places. In these latter circumstances, a young man certainly learns something in regard to reaching the minds and consciences of men. His sermons come to assume a somewhat more effective character. And it would seem that, after a six month's or year's experience of this sort, he might, to a certain degree, be better prepared to enter upon the duties of a settled pastor. Whether any perceptible influence would be exerted upon a man's permanent usefulness, we undertake not to say. We must confess, that we have some doubts whether it would ordinarily be of much consequence. Certainly it would not be of consequence enough to justify one, for the sake of it, in turning aside from any important field of pastoral usefulness.

The following Lecture contains, among other things, an able argument in favor of the Congregational position, that a pastor should be a member of the church to which he ministers. We should be glad to make some quotations; but our limits forbid. Indeed, on this, and many other points, no short quotation could do any justice to the writer.

Two Lectures are devoted to the subject of pastoral Visiting. That it belongs to a pastor to visit his people, is a position which Dr. Pond thinks too obviously correct to require any protracted argument. Few, we trust, think otherwise. Many valuable directions are given in regard to the mode of performing the duty, and the treatment of different classes

of persons. This last topic, however, forms the subject of an additional and distinct Lecture.

In some of the subsequent Lectures will be found various judicious counsels in regard to the management of cases of Discipline, the solemnization of Marriages, the conducting of Funeral Services, the administration of the Sacraments, the admission of members to the Church, etc. Some excellent

remarks, which we wish had been more extended, are made on the duties of a Pastor as the presiding officer of his Church in their business meetings. A Lecture is devoted to the subject of Sabbath evening and other extra services. Many hints are thrown out in regard to the number of these which should ordinarily be held during the week; the manner in which they should be conducted; the dangers to be avoided, etc. The question respecting the propriety and desirableness of layexhortation, Dr. Pond does not touch. He takes it for granted, however, that this will occur, and thinks that there should be at least one meeting every week of the social kind.

We have already alluded to the Lectures on Revivals. These are five including a Lecture on Protracted Meetings, and one on Evangelists. Dr. Pond's heart is evidently very much interested in this subject. We know not whether he meant to make it the great subject of the book: but it certainly occupies a central place, and is discussed with an ability not surpassed in any other part of the volume. Those who have seen Dr. Pond in revivals, know that he is never more at home, and that his preaching and conversation at such seasons have been greatly blessed. Much practical wisdom may of course be expected in his counsels. He does not take the trouble to discuss the propriety of various minor expedients, which a rash zeal has so often employed within the last ten or twelve years. He takes it for granted that they are exploded, at least in the practice of all sensible ministers (if indeed such ministers ever employed them). But he does discuss the great leading objects to be aimed at, and the great leading measures to be pursued: and determines them in strict consistency, alike with the directions of the Bible, and

the dictates of a sound philosophy. He makes it very clear that both in order to the commencement of a revival, and its continuance, there is a human work to be done; and he explains clearly what that work in its successive stages is.

We are particularly pleased with Dr. Pond's remarks on the importance of conviction of sin, and the methods by which, with the blessing of God, it is to be produced. Nothing can be more evident than that this "law-work," as our fathers called it, is fundamental to genuine conversion. They did well to insist upon it as strongly as they did; and we love to see it insisted upon now. We only wish that instruction upon the point could reach the quarters where it is most needed. We have seen preachers (not of the Congregational or Presbyterian denominations, though we will not undertake to say that none such are to be found) who seemed to have no conception that there was any process appropriately coming in between awakening and conversion; and who seemed to think persons "mourners," in the sense of the Beatitudes, and entitled to be "comforted," the moment they were anxious or distressed. We have known protracted meetings, lasting many days, where the word sin was hardly mentioned, and where, certainly, there was little attempt to produce conviction. To our utter surprise, we have seen preachers of considerable intelligence falling in with their more ignorant brethren in this respect, all seeming alike to forget that the work of the Spirit in regard to sinners, as described in John xvi., is not two-fold, but three-fold. Who wonders that, in certain quarters, the doctrine is held of "falling away?" If a man is converted without being convicted, he must fall away. And, as a matter of fact, such converts do "fall away" in vast numbers. Of a hundred converted in the winter, sometimes not ten, perhaps not five, will "persevere" through the sumWe make these statements-the truth of which hundreds of men all over the country can vouch-in no spirit of unkindness, but rather in that of unfeigned surprise and sorrow, that there should be any evangelical ministers, and especially that there should be so many, making here so fatal a

mer.

mistake, and doing their own churches, as well as the cause of religion in general, so much injury. All evangelical ministers, of all denominations, certainly ought to be agreed that conversion is good for nothing, when not based on conviction.

Dr. Pond makes some valuable suggestions in regard to the treatment of young converts. The argument, sometimes derived from the practice of the Apostles, for receiving persons professing to be converted, into the Church at once, we do not remember to have seen any where more briefly and happily refuted than in one of these Lectures. We quote the passage:

"The difference of circumstances between ourselves and the Apostles, ought here to be taken into the account. So far as our circumstances and theirs are alike, we are bound to follow their example to the letter. But when there is a wide and manifest difference, as in the case before us, we are to practice, not precisely as the Apostles did, but as we have reason to believe they would, were they in circumstances like our own.

"In the age of the Apostles, there was much less inducement to deception, and proportionably less danger of it, than there is at present. Then the instruction imparted was of the best kind; given under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. And the exposure at that period not only to reproach and shame, but to palpable persecution, was so great, that none would be likely to make a profession of their faith in Christ, who were not in possession of the great reality. In the peculiar circumstances of that age, a simple profession on the spot, such as was always made previous to baptism, furnished probably a more decisive evidence of piety, than converts in general can furnish now, after weeks of probation.

"It should be considered, too, that the Apostles were under the immediate direction of the Holy Spirit, which rendered them, if not infallible in the discernment of character, at least much better judges than we can pretend to be. We have evidence of this, in the readiness with which Peter detected the hypocrisy of Ananias and Sapphira, and of Simon the sorcerer. As we have not the power to unmask hypocrisy after this manner, so neither have we the power to decide (as the Apostles did ordinarily on the spot) who are and who are not proper candidates for admission to the Church of Christ. We lay no claim to the supernatural direction of the Holy Spirit in this matter, but are left to the slow processes of probation and inquiry.

"But though we dare not follow the example of the inspired Apos

tles to the letter, in this thing, we do profess to follow it in substance and spirit. The Apostles admitted persons to the church so soon as they were satisfied of their conversion; and we are entitled to do the same. The only difference is, they had the means of obtaining satisfaction sooner, ordinarily, than we can.

"I have said that we are entitled to receive professed converts to the church so soon as we can obtain reasonable satisfaction on the question of their piety. But this cannot be obtained in one day, or two. It cannot be obtained, as a general thing, in one week, or two. Persons need time for reflection and self-examination, after they indulge the hope of being (that they have been ?)1 converted, before it will be prudent for them to offer themselves as candidates for the church. And the church needs time in which to judge of their expe rience, and observe the character and walk of professed converts, before they can be satisfied on the question of their piety, and can prudently receive them to the fellowship of God's people. Satisfaction, I repeat, is what the church wants, and as soon as this can be obtained, and not before, should the candidate for membership be permitted to enroll himself among the professed disciples of Jesus.”

Of the system (if system it may be called) of Evangelism, the Doctor is a firm and strenuous opponent. He believes that the pastor should be his 'people's revivalist, and that if he is what he ought to be, they will need no other. The Lecture on this subject has been published as a separate article in the New-Englander, and is worthy of the careful attention of ministers and churches. It is not of great length, but disposes of the subject satisfactorily, and is without bitterness or unfair

ness.

Of protracted meetings, Dr. Pond is an equally firm and strenuous advocate. Whatever his readers may think in regard to the correctness of his views, they will concede that the case is well argued. The lecture constitutes a very good document for any one to refer to, who wishes to make up his mind upon the subject. And it is a subject of no small importance. Special services of some kind, we take it, will be known as long as revivals are known. There is a speciality about the whole nature of a revival; and the means employed to secure

Neither expression is strictly correct, for hope cannot be properly applied either to the present or the past—either to that which is or that which has been: and the conversion is here spoken of as existing.-ED.