edged that he labors harder on Saturday than upon any other day. Poor man! he has periodical fits of sickness-weekly ill turns that always come on the Lord's day. Dr. Bonesetter says, "There is no medicine at the apothecary's shop that will cure this Sunday illness."

Aug. 29. Mr. D. called this afternoon. He feels very badly. Says "he cannot sit in the seats again till some reparation is made." I don't see why it is that there is so much quarrelling among the singers. It is strange that singers don't agree better, for I believe every choir quarrels more or less.

Aug. 30. Called this morning to see br. A., who is quite sick, and very low spirited, because he thinks he has been too covetous, and has not given to the cause of Christ so much as he ought to have done.

Sept. 3. Br. E. told me this evening, "that he feels hurt with the editor of the

and won't take the

ger, because there was an

week that he don't like."

paper any lon

article in it last

I wonder how

many subscribers our religious journals would have, if all acted on the same principle with

this wise brother. I believe the poor editors have most as much fault found with them as we poor ministers. I think they had better keep a list of complaints, and now and then publish them for the edification of their readFound out another complaint against me, and that is, that I drive too fast when I ride round to visit. This makes forty-two.

ers.

Sept. 30.

Have heard two more complaints, viz., that I am too great a dictator in church meeting, and that I pray too long. These make forty-four.

Oct. 9. Had a plain talk this morning with br. C., about standing on the meeting-house steps, and talking of the weather, crops, and political news, and tried to convince him that it was not proper on the Lord's day. He said "he could not see any impropriety in it." He is a singular kind of a Christian.

Oct. 16. Feel much discouraged about the Maternal Association. Wife Wife says, "there were only five mothers present this afternoon, and only one of them brought children, and that one brought but two out of her five little ones." It is strange, when we hear so much about "mother's affection," that they don't

feel interested to attend these meetings, and take their children with them, when they know their children may derive so much good from them. I should think they might spend one afternoon in a month for their children's good.

Nov. 3. This evening commenced a course of lectures on the Pilgrim's Progress. Intend to go through the book. A large number were present, and appeared interested.

CHAPTER XVII.

LETTER FROM REV. TOBIAS SINCERE TO REV. ASA AGAR, UPON EVANGELISM.

Brookville, June 8, 1843.

Dear Br. Agar :-Your favor of the fifth came to hand last evening; and as I have nothing of very special importance to occupy my time this morning, I have seated myself to answer your inquiries as touching evangelism. "What do you think about evangelism ?" is your first inquiry. This, you know, is a pretty extensive question, and I should have liked something a little more definite. I can assure you I think a great many things about evangelism, a great many more than I can put down on paper in the compass of anything like a reasonably long letter. However, in a few words, I think favorably of the system. I see nothing in the scriptures which militates against the propriety of setting apart a class of ministers who shall not settle as pastors, but preach whenever and wherever they are wanted.

On the other hand, they appear to me to favor the idea. I have looked at that passage in Ephesians which speaks of apostles, evangelists, pastors, &c., and I have also turned to some of the commentators, to see what they say in reference to it; and I cannot doubt, but that, while some ministers were settled as pastors in those primitive days of christianity, others labored as evangelists, going hither and thither, preaching the gospel wherever Providence might open the door.

Evangelism seems to me to be an useful system, and may be made more useful than it has been. It certainly seems reasonable to suppose that ministers may do much good without being settled as pastors. There are many fields almost destitute of the preaching of the gospel, in which a pious evangelist, by laboring for a season, may hope to accomplish much good for Zion--perhaps lay the foundation of a Christian church. How many places there are where there are Christians enough to form a church, and yet where there is no church. Now pastors, having their own churches to take care of, cannot visit such places, and remain long enough to gather these