too much to say, that, in becoming humble, we become all which is demanded by the Gospel; for the mastery of pride, if this be its definition, must include or promote the subjugation of each passion which opposes our entrance into the kingdom of heaven. Where, then, the cause for surprise, if humility be represented as the high-road to greatness? The truly humble man must be, so far as character and achievements are concerned, the truly great man. I call not that man great who has conquered a nation, if he have failed, after all, to conquer himself. True greatness must be moral greatness, greatness of soul, that nobility of spirit which proves of a man that he has measured his duration, and proved himself indestructible. And I recognize this greatness, not necessarily when a man has a world bowing at his footstool, but when he is himself bowing at the footstool of God. The rebel against lawful authority cannot be truly great: the slave of his own passions cannot be truly great: the idolater of his own powers cannot be truly great. And the proud man is this rebel, this slave, this idolater; for pride spurns at the divine dominion, gives vigour to depraved affections, and exaggerates all our powers. What, then, can be more accurate than that pride destroys the chief elements of which a great character is compounded, so that it must be to direct a man in the way to eminence, to prescribe that he be "clothed with humility?" We know that when Christ shall re-appear, it will be to erect that king

dom which his Apostles expected, and to distribute the rewards which have been promised from the first to those "faithful unto death." Who shall gain high rank in this kingdom? on whom shall be bestowed the most glorious of the rewards? We may dare to be sure that the most humble will be the most exalted. They have gone furthest in Christian attainment; for humility is not so much a single element in a righteous man's character, as that which pervades every other, and gives it, at the same time, fixedness and increase. They must be the men of the firmest faith, and the warmest love, and the most soaring hope; the men who have acquired the closest conformity to the image of the Mediator, seeing that this mind is most largely in them which was also in Christ, who humbled Himself, and, though rich, for our sakes became poor. They, then, must be greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Theirs must be the loftiest throne, and theirs the noblest heritage. And I seem to hear nothing more than a declaration, that the recompenses of eternity will be dealt out with the very nicest regard to the progress which men have made in godliness, when I hear Christ saying to his disciples, emulous of distinction in his kingdom, "Whosoever will be great amongst you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief amongst you, let him be your servant."

We would now, however, recur to our first view of the maxim of our text, and again urge that he who would lay himself out for eminence, must lay

himself out for usefulness. Our argument is, that, however various and inconsistent might be the definitions of greatness, which would be furnished if you asked in different quarters, there is nothing

needed but the examination of the cases in which greatness is acknowledged, and fresh evidence will be gained that the chief amongst many must be virtually their minister. May I not, for example, declare with perfect truth of the distinguished body which I am now appointed to address, that they are great through being useful? The servants of the very sailor-boy, who, after long voyaging, marks with rapture the distant light which your carefulness has kindled to guide him on his way; the ministers to the poorest wanderer on those narrow seas which gird about our island, who, without the aids which your pilots supply, would speedily perish on the rock or the quicksand; you certainly, if great as a corporation, are great through the method prescribed by our text. It is not because you may number amongst you the titled of the land; it is not because you may be enrolled under the illustrious alike in battle and in council-and where should victory more fitly preside than over commerce, to whose enterprises it opened land and sea?-it is because you are serviceable to thousands and tens of thousands, serviceable to the mariners whose lives you protect, serviceable to the merchants whose property you guard, serviceable to the empire to all whose intricate avenues you may be said to furnish the clue,

that so lofty a place is given you in public esteem : your usefulness has won for you that greatness which makes it an honourable thing even for the honoured to be incorporated with you; so that their presence is the index rather than the cause of your dignity; even as the stars and orders on a man of high achievement do not constitute, but proclaim him the benefactor of a nation. And if indeed it be thus your usefulness to which you owe your greatness, it must be fitting that we impress on you how thoroughly it is your interest, as well as your duty, to spare no pains in perfecting whatsoever may facilitate the navigation of our seas: each lighthouse which diminishes shipwreck is as a fresh diamond in your coronet; and every improved chart is like a new patent of nobility. It is, moreover, worth observing, that the greatness which is thus derived from usefulness, may be augmented or decreased by the meanest of those whom you employ: the ignorance or intemperance of any one of your pilots may bring disgrace upon yourselves, by bringing ruin upon numbers who have been virtually committed to your guardianship; and need we then add, that it would be to cease to be great, and to become even despicable, if ever private interest were suffered to advance incompetence, or shield drunkenness? A high trust would be betrayed, if most rigid inquiries were not instituted into the skill and character of every one whom you empower to take charge of our vessels: but if, after such inquiries, the pilots

prove deficient in either knowledge or sobriety, in acquaintance with the waters through which they profess to steer, or in that steadiness which can alone make this acquaintance of use, you indeed are clear; but the pilots, and if any be present, let them hear, and remember, and report to their fellows, the pilots virtually incur the guilt of robbers, by destroying property, and of murderers, by destroying life.

But shall we be exceeding the bounds of our office, if, whilst treating of greatness as resulting from usefulness, and illustrating by the case of a corporation which has grown eminent through its care of our shipping, we point out the duty of making commerce subservient to the spread of Christianity, and the majesty which it would acquire through being thus employed? Nay, the very name which you bear seems to pledge you to the keeping other interests in view, besides those which more immediately engage your attention. Why have you drawn your designation from the great mystery of the Godhead, if not to give a holy character to the compass and rudder over which you preside, and to express, as it were, your belief that seas should be navigated under the loftiest auspice, and for the most sacred ends? That whatsoever concerns our pilotage is committed to a body, whose title proclaims the doctrine which especially distinguishes revealed religion from natural, might almost be interpreted into a national declaration, that trade