distinction which will contribute, in some degree at least, to resolve the difficulty of which you complain, and I was impressed with the truth of this remark, when I read the apology contained in the commencement of your letter, where you say, 'I am induced to endeavor to communicate my ideas in this way,' that is by writing, 'because though writing costs me an immense deal of bodily as well as mental exertion, especially the latter, yet I am not quite so apt to forget the principal part of what I would say as when speaking.' Now here, to my mind, it is completely manifest that your bodily infirmities exert a strong influence over your mind, so that you cannot fix it upon a particular subject, and keep it there for a long time, without immense labor; that owing to the same cause, extemporaneous speaking costs you more effort when you attempt to communicate a number of ideas in succession, than writing. And this is easily accounted for on wellknown principles, viz. that writing helps the memory, and enables the mind to put its ideas together with more coherency and correctness.

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What is prayer

God in a con

Apply then, these remarks to prayer. but the 'communication of our ideas to nected and continuous manner.' It requires mental exertion as well as moral feeling. And why should you not feel the same difficulty when you make a mental effort in one way as another; at one time as another; when you communicate your ideas to God, as when you communicate them to men? Now that your mind is affected by the state of your body, is a fact which your own experience testifies to be true in other cases. should it not have an influence in prayer. And if it has, Why then then certainly you would be very wrong in making your Christian character to depend upon the manner in which you perform this duty, because it would be to make it depend upon a natural, and not a moral criterion. You

say it has caused you the most heart-felt grief, and numberless sighs and tears,' that you have not had more freedom in prayer. Does not this prove that the feelings of your heart are not in accordance with that state of mind which you suppose yours to be, and that the heart is making an effort to overcome these constitutional and natural infirmities of the body?"

In the memoranda to which allusion has been made, it is ascertained that during a period of about four months, from July to December, 1820, Mr. Cornelius made just two hundred ministerial visits and calls, one hundred and thirty-two of which were closed with prayer. In the January following, he visited every day but one for three weeks, a person suffering both from bodily and mental distress, accompanying his visits with religious conversation and with prayer.

He was habitually attentive to children. He almost uniformly recognized those whose parents or relatives belonged to his congregation; and seldom did a child pass him unnoticed. His interest in children was the result of native kindness, and also of Christian principle. He wished to secure their affections, in order that he might do them good. "Rarely ever," remarks a member of his church, "did a pastor so enlist the affections of children. Every little countenance brightened when he came in sight,— the children loved him indeed."

He originated and maintained a Bible class in his congregation, and succeeded in interesting all who attended. He had no parish Sabbath school during his ministry, as the schools of that description were then under the direction of the Moral Society, an association previously established.

There was nothing in his habits as a watchman for souls, more prominent than his faithfulness in communicating instruction to those who had recently professed

conversion. His anxiety did not subside in the least, when he supposed that the inquirers had become Christians. On the contrary, he evinced much solicitude for the cultivation and enlargement of their piety. He wished them to become Bible Christians, “rooted and grounded in the truth." He adopted systematic methods for teaching them self-knowledge, as well as the great truths of Christianity. He was never satisfied until they were able to give scriptural reasons for the hopes of eternal life which they cherished. With what fidelity and discrimination he taught them, and with what parental care and affection he watched over them, not a few will always remember; nor will they forget the solemnity with which, after several months' probation he admitted them into the communion of the church, over which "the Holy Spirit had made him overseer."

A vigilant attention to this class of persons is unques

tionably one of the principal sources of a clergyman's influence, and of the prosperity of the church. Not unfrequently, the impression has been conveyed, if the sentiment has not been openly maintained, that the condition of recent converts to Christianity being comparatively safe, they require but little attention, and that the principal efforts of the pastor and of the church are to be directed to the conversion of sinners. Regeneration is represented truly as a great and instantaneous change. All, who have experienced it, will assuredly attain salvation. But regeneration is not glorification. Many, who are savingly taught by the Holy Spirit, are novices' in Christian knowledge. The illumination of their hearts does not immediately and necessarily extend to their minds. They have never been taught to apply the truths of the Bible to their own circumstances, nor been instructed in the great duty of self-examination, in any of its departments. They know not how to

give fixed attention to the regular ministrations of the sanctuary; or if they do, they are not able adequately to comprehend them. They need long-continued and systematic discipline. Some of them are diffident to an extreme, and will never become useful members of the household of faith," without particular care. Others are naturally self-confident, and will "run before they are sent." Others, who may be numbered with the people of God, are in a fatal error; and it is the wisest course, on all accounts, that the error should be immediately detected. All of them need to be instructed in the great work of doing good. It is of unspeakable importance to the piety and extension of the church, and to the salvation of pagan nations, that all who assume the Christian proIfession should assume it "in spirit and in truth;" not regarding it as a sort of easy passport to heaven, but as the assumption of a great work. A judicious Christian education, under the care of the minister, will contribute to give intelligence and efficiency to their whole subsequent course. If their pastor wishes for their sincere affection and warm-hearted co-operation, he will become familiarly acquainted with them during the first months of their spiritual life. Then, if ever, they have a frank, winning, and generous disposition—a foundation on which the most delightful and permanent friendship may be laid. Those ministers, who resign the youthful disciples of Christ to an indefinite spiritual guardianship, or abandon them to the "tender mercies" of the world, mistake the whole tenor of the New Testament. Nearly all the epistles in that volume are directed to those who were just enrolled in the number of the faithful, who needed “milk, and not strong meat." The principal design of the commission given to apostles, and prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, was for the "perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying

of the body of Christ," until believers should "come unto the measure of the stature of the fullness" of their Lord.

The preceding remarks are made because they are considered to be important in respect to the course which Mr. Cornelius adopted a course which every man, in similar circumstances, would find of the highest advantage to adopt.

Such preaching and pastoral labor as the Tabernacle church now enjoyed, in connection with what they had previously been favored with from the instructions and prayers of a man eminent as Dr. Worcester was, in all ministerial endowments, could not fail of being attended with the blessing of the great Head of the church. The languid were awakened, the thoughtless professor was alarmed, the worldly-minded were rebuked, the brokenhearted penitent found rest in Jesus, and the established believer was enabled to know more of the riches of the love of Christ. Upon the congregation, the divine influence at one time rested in an extraordinary degree. The "preaching of the cross" became the "wisdom and power of God unto many." In consequence, about one hundred subsequently united with the church. Some of them have since "slept in Jesus," "witnessing a good confession," in life and in death. The following letter relates to this dispensation of the Holy Spirit.

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"Salem, August 4, 1824.

My dear B.,—I dare say you have by this time been ready to accuse me of great delinquency in not fulfilling my promise to write to you. But the urgency of my labors will plead some apology. After you left us, the attention to religion assumed and continued to wear a deeper interest than ever. At each inquiry-meeting we have found new instances of conviction and hopeful con