Here then is a disease transmitted from sheep to man, appearing in him as a pustule, which in its turn can convey its virus to other animals, the virus being composed of infusoria of a particular venomous species. The smallest quantity is sufficient to kill, because it is enough to sow the species; the disease is conveyed by inoculation, the animalcules pass from one individual to the other; it is propagated in the air, because the germs are borne away and sow themselves, perhaps also, as some believe, by the stings of flies, for they have been the means of the transmission of bacterida. Such is the explanation, no less simple than certain, of the effects of a particular virus. The future will show if it is possible to extend so fruitful a theory to analogous cases. But now we may comprehend the hopes of physiologists, and anticipate their success. Perhaps we may learn how to prevent and cure contagious diseases.

ART. IV.—OUR LOCAL MINISTRY.

THE employment of a lay or local ministry is a distinguishing peculiarity of Methodistic economy. It was not the part of a plan existing in the mind of Wesley when the great religious movement of the eighteenth century began, but a new development in the work which Divine Providence had assigned him to do. In fact, so far from its being a plan originally existing in his mind, when the great question itself was presented to him he instinctively shrank from it. The idea was utterly repugnant to his Church notions, and contrary to all his previous views of order and propriety. Hence, when he was informed by letter, while at Bristol, that Thomas Maxfield had occupied the desk at the "Foundry" during his absence, he hastened back to London, to check what he regarded as a manifest irregularity. But his aged mother, whose wise and cautious hand had often preserved him from rash measures, as well as strengthened him in the right, was still lingering on the shores of time, and her counsels dispelled his fears and led him to recognize the hand of God in this matter; for when she perceived in his countenance unusual anxiety and dissatisfaction, and heard him' abruptly say, "Thomas Maxfield FOURTH SERIES, VOL. XVII.--35

has turned preacher, I find," she checked him by saying, "Take care what you do respecting that young man; he is as surely called of God to preach as you are." After this Mr. Wesley heard him preach, examined into the fruits of his ministry, and yielded to the conviction that his mother was right. The precedent was now fairly established, the prejudices of years swept away, and the way opened up for the employment of any number of such laborers in the vineyard of the Lord. For if one man, unversed in science, unknown to the universities, taken from agricultural, mechanical, or mercantile pursuits, was clearly called of God to the work of the ministry, then any number of men, with such surroundings, might be called to the same work. Hence, while Maxfield has the honor of standing first in that great list of worthies who have carried the Gospel to the ends of the earth, lay assistants were soon multiplied on every hand. Thomas Richards, Thomas Westall, John Nelson, and a host of other men, were raised up, and went forth, under the direction of their great leader, "to spread scriptural holiness over the land."

It must be clearly evident to every reflective and unprejudiced mind that in no other way than by the employment of such a ministry could the immense demand for the bread of life, which existed both in Europe and America, have been met. Without this agency, countless thousands would have gone to their graves and to eternity without ever having heard of the glad tidings of salvation. In multitudes of instances the people were too poor to pay a minister, could one have been obtained; and too ignorant and degraded to desire one had he been offered to them. Methodism, by adopting this ministry, met the great want of the middle and lower classes in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and America.

This lay ministry, devoting a portion of the time to industrial pursuits, obtained thus a livelihood; while anointed with the Holy Ghost it went forth on week evenings, and especially on the Sabbath day, in all the destitute districts of the land, bearing the messages of mercy and salvation. True, they often exhibited a lack of polish and refinement, of educational advantages and high social position; but, in place of these, there was a sturdy, vigorous common sense, a heart all aflame with the love of Christ, and a clear, joyous, personal experi

ence of the things of God. Without gown or bands, without pulpit or church, they preached in the garb and in the language of the "common people," using familiar, although often homely illustrations; preaching and singing and praying on the sea-shore, the mountain-side, in the graveyard or the cottage, but enforcing all with "the demonstration of the Spirit and of power."

Another feature in their history and their work must not be overlooked here, as it illustrates clearly the designs of Divine Providence. It is this: as part of their time was employed in secular pursuits, they were ready to lead or follow the tide of emigration in whatever direction it might turn. And, as they were generally men of enterprise and spirit, they would not be slow to perceive the advantages furnished by a new country, or to avail themselves of them. It was this, doubtless, which led Embury and Strawbridge to this country; and to them belongs the honor of founding Methodism in America. But not only so, pressing on, in the very van of the hosts of emigrants from Europe, they have borne the standard of the cross to every part of the world. In America they have followed with the westward stream of emigration and of empire, and in many instances, long before the arrival of an itinerant minister, have begun the great work of preaching the Gospel to the scattered dwellers in the wilderness.

The employment of this lay ministry is an integral part of the economy of American as well as of Wesleyan Methodism, In the latter, however, it is more regularly and efficiently employed, as well as more clearly and distinctly recognized. As the circuit system prevails there, and, by this means, a large number of towns and villages, churches or chapels, is included in the charge of only two or three ministers appointed by the conference, it leaves large room for the employment of all its local ministers, who take their turn, according to the printed "plan," in supplying the work. Thus, this large class of active, zealous, and efficient laborers is kept constantly at work.

In this country the case is very different. Here we have, instead of large circuits, so divided up the work that there is scarcely a circuit of any size left in the land. town, village, or neighborhood which can raise

Every little from one to

five hundred dollars lays claim to a stationed preacher, who must do all the preaching, and often everything else in his very limited field of labor. The wisdom or policy of thus dividing and subdividing the work does not now come under our notice. But the fact is as above stated. As the result of this, however, it will be clearly seen that our local ministers have not that field of labor spread out before them which their brethren in the Wesleyan connection have. This state of things often gives rise to great embarrassment to the stationed pastor, the Church, and the local ministers. For instance, the stationed pastor feels that he is appointed by the

horities of the Church to do the work in his charge, and, usually, his health and his time enable him to do it; yet he has, it may be, one, two, or even more local preachers connected with his Church to whom he would be pleased to extend from time to time an invitation to occupy the pulpit. But then, if they occupy the pulpit, he must sit still and listen to them, and at the close of the service be sternly asked by prominent members of the Church, "Why don't you preach yourself?" On the other hand, if he goes on and does his appointed work without asking them to preach, they feel embarrassed, or become petulant, morose, and fault-finding. This state of things has frequently produced heart-burnings, alienation, and at times, in certain localities, has threatened the Church with serious disaster. Nor are the Churches without their embarrassment in this connection. Here are these brethren among them, men of intelligence and piety, whose license they have given and annually renewed; and yet they are, in the majority of instances, unwilling to hear them preach. It is true that the position occupied by the Churches on this question is somewhat inconsistent; but the fact is as above stated. As a rule, we believe no quarterly conference ought to license a man to preach whom they would be unwilling to hear, occasionally at least.

But leaving these thoughts, let us now come to the consid eration of the following questions: Is there a remedy for this state of things? And what can be done to bring this large, respectable, intelligent, and influential body of ministers into active, zealous, and efficient co-operation with the traveling ministry of the Church? To our own mind there

is a remedy, potent, efficient, and within our reach, a remedy which should at once be adopted. There is work, abundant work, for these brethren; for we believe that God never calls men to labor in his vineyard unless he has work for them to do. Before proceeding directly to the discussion of the remedy proposed, let us candidly and honestly say, that in our judgment the local ministry of this country, with some exceptions, seem to have lost sight of the evident design of Divine Providence in their employment. If we can read that design, it does not appear to be that they should principally labor in the regular and settled Churches of the land, where there is an appointed and stated ministry devoting all its time to the work of God. From the beginning their work has been pioneer work, missionary work. At an early period of our history they went out into "the highways and hedges," among the destitute and neglected, and compelled the people to come in. They did not think of sitting down quietly on the Sabbath in the crowded chapel or church to hear the Gospel, or awaiting the illness or absence of the pastor to occupy his place; but they went abroad, seeking new fields of labor and toil, traveling into "the regions beyond," where they might minister to the ignorant and degraded "the word of life." It was in doing work like this that they gained their laurels and won their renown. And in all the ages to come Methodism will cheerfully accord its obligations and its gratitude to the men who thus toiled and triumphed, amid sacrifices, privations, and tears. Now we contend that the pursuance of a like course with the same energy and zeal would be productive of similar results at the present day. The great secret of success in every department of life is for a man to find his allotted sphere of operation, to comprehend as far as he may the design of Divine Providence with reference to him, and "in that calling remain," doing with his "might whatever his hand may find to do." But if there be misapprehension here, and a man persists in doing what he is evidently unfitted for, or in occupying a position which neither nature or nature's God has qualified him to fill, then there is, there must be, friction, embarrassment, and in the end failure. While it is true, in a certain sense, that "God has his plan for every man," it is equally true that God has