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The circulation of this Letter produced many applications for further details, and it was evident that a satisfactory reply to them could only be given by a fuller statement, than could possibly be condensed into a letter. Other considerations joined with this to induce the Author to re-examine his former plan. It had happened that circumstances had afforded him the use of a printing press, by which a communication between himself and his people had been greatly facilitated; by this means he has distributed through the parish many important statements upon particular occasions; and has made public such accounts of the progress of the system as it was useful for the people to be acquainted with. Upon examining these it appears, that they contain upon the whole such a portion of necessary information on the subject, as will suffice to convey a view of the details of the system, sufficient to lead the mind of any clergyman to understand the arrangements, and enable him to supply, by. inference, all that may be wanting to adapt the same principle to the circumstances of his own ministry, should he desire so to do. As the communications made in these papers have always been carefully weighed, previous to being made public in the parish, there can be no risk of local inconvenience in extending their publication. It has therefore been determined to publish a selection from these papers, arranged in such order as will be calculated to shew the progress made under this system of pastoral superintendence.

In order, however, to exhibit at large the spiritual and scriptural motives, of which these details ought to be the result; the Author chose a passage of Scripture, upon which he delivered a course of instruction to his own people, amongst whom the principles thus set forth, had been acted upon for so many years. The passage is 1 Cor. iii. 5—15, in explaining which, he laid open the minister's motives, as well as the personal responsibility of the people. The course con

sisted of Six Lectures, which, being prepared with much thoughtful consideration, were delivered extemporaneously as far as the language is concerned. These Lectures were taken down in short hand as they were delivered, and they are now published as the FIRST PART of the present Work, in order to set forth-THE MOTIVES OF PASTORAL SUPERINTENDENCE.

The papers already referred to are arranged as the SECOND PART of the Work; exhibiting, THE DETAIL OF PASTORAL SUPERINTENDENCE. In examining these documents it may probably occur to the mind, that considerable labour must be required to be able to make many of the numerical statements they contain. It is quite true that several account books must be regularly kept; for which purpose a constant attention is requisite; but this can hardly be considered a difficulty of very great importance; as system and order in the machinery of such accounts reduces the labour to a matter of .very small moment. It is to be deplored that, upon this point, there seems to be a general deficiency in the notions entertained with respect to the management of a parochial charge. An exact system of regular accounts is one of the most powerful engines by which success is ensured in all secular occupations. The lawyer and the medical man find that their whole time is occupied in obtaining the object for which they enter into their professions; and, for the sake of economy of time, they are constrained to systematize their engagements, if they would attain to professional success. The character, and even professional existence of the merchant, of whatever class or degree, depend upon the observance of system and order in his plans and accounts. But the importance of system to attain success is most clearly exhibited in the military profession; in which the ratio of efficiency is precisely according to the habitual attention to order. Exact periodical statements and returns bring to light every defect; the peremptory duty of making these returns

keeps the officer constantly on the alert; enables him to detect the first departure from regularity; and to apply the immediate remedy. And this is the profession which is taken in the word of God, to illustrate the condition of the Church at large, and of its ministers more especially.

The great variety of forms and arranged blank books suitable to every profession which are kept for sale, as of ordinary use, present an unaccountable contrast to the solitary "Speculum gregis," which is prepared for the use of clergymen; and this affords strong proof that detailed accounts connected with the pastoral charge are of rare occurrence; and yet there is no object in which the energies of the mind can be engaged where greater benefit will be likely to result from minute and systematic registrations, relating to those points in which the progress of the great work can be watched and marked. This is evident from the great distinction which exists between the profession of a minister of Christ, and every other profession in the world. While the knowledge of that distinction ought to excite the clergy to a more zealous application of every talent and power to the vast object in view, it is unfortunately too often found to act, either secretly or openly, as a motive for relaxation in the exertions necessary for the establishment of discipline and order.

The object to be obtained by every other profession is temporary, worldly, and by an immense distance secondary to that which is placed before the ministers of the gospel. Such a secondary object is tangible; and it may be almost certainly predicted that success will follow upon the diligent exercise of certain means. The object placed before the minister of the gospel is eternal; his fruits are not harvested in this world; and, as the conversion of each soul is the distinct work of the Holy Ghost, it cannot be said of the most zealous ministrations that they will certainly produce the end de

sired. Hence, there creeps into the mind, an unavowed but secretly admitted notion, that, as with God it is nothing "to conquer by many or by few," so few and irregular means may be instrumentally made no less successful than the application of a larger and more systematic scheme of ministrations. This is an enervating thought, which soothes our natural sloth into a dreamy and delusive slumber. The fact is, that, though God does often bear witness to the power of his own Word, by making it the instrument of salvation under circumstances little conducive to its success, yet the large requirements of the apostolic instructions to ministers contain in themselves a command to make the most diligent use of the fullest system of instrumentality that can be devised and the promises connected with those injunctions authorise the expectation, that wisdom will be given for arranging, and power for executing the best ordered scheme that can be conceived. Here then will apply the proverb

duty is ours, events are God's ;" and it is commonly found that God vouchsafes a larger measure of success where a more earnest attempt is made to extend the ministrations of the gospel, systematically, over the whole field to which the labourer is appointed.

There is scarcely any thing which tends to give more influence for good to a clergyman than a conviction, imperceptibly forced upon the minds of his parishioners, that he takes minute account of those things relating to them in which he may legitimately interfere. In this point of view, the statements contained in the papers which form the second part of this Work have been so useful as fully to compensate for the trouble required to make them correctly.

The second subject introduced into the Letter to the Irish clergy is one which occupies too important a place in the whole system to be passed over without further notice. The promises made in the word of God to intercessory prayer are

of the very largest kind; and it would appear, that, in the arrangement of means by which the Divine Love works His purposes towards His people, He has condescended to employ the kindly affections of the heart of one, to draw down instrumentally a blessing upon the soul of another. While the Scriptures assuredly contain sufficient ground to warrant this statement, it is greatly to be feared that the lingering unbelief of our hearts very materially interrupts the operation of this part of God's spiritual machinery. When a pastor is comforted and supported by the conviction that the hearts of many Christian friends are drawn forth with a lively interest in secret prayer for a blessing upon his ministry, he is comforted under the discouragements and strengthened for the labour of his work by a peculiar energy. It is with heartfelt gratitude, that the Author acknowledges the very great assistance which he has derived from such a conviction with reference to an unusual number of praying friends; and he has no hesitation in ascribing to these prayers instrumentally the blessing vouchsafed in his parish, by calling forth, in the first place directly, the answer from Him who gave the impulse to pray; and by producing, in the second place indirectly, that confident feeling in himself, by which he has been supported in carrying out the plans thus commended to the merciful direction of God. The view of this subject set forth in the Letter to the Irish clergy requires that the steps taken to ensure union and regularity upon this point should be included in the present attempt to develope the whole system; and therefore a THIRD PART is added to this Work, in order to present the reader with some account of THE SUPPORT OF PASTORAL SUPERINTENDENCE. This will contain a transcript of the little book referred to in the Letter; together with some extracts from several addresses which have been sent to the members of the Prayer Union; and a short reference to other attempts made to promote the object in view. These