ence was fully started, and its semiannual meetings have ever since been occasions of deep interest in the community. For a number of years, the same person acted as scribe of both the Association and Conference, as well as of the Domestic Missionary Society, and the records were all kept in the same book; but, of late years, the bodies have moved on entirely distinct, in some cases, churches being connected with the Conference, whose ministers are members of other associations, and vice versa. BENEVOLENT OPERATIONS. From the very first, an active aggressive spirit has been kept up, in reference to the spread of the truth. The constitution originally commenced with the words, "The conviction and reformation of sinners, the instruction and improvement of Christians, and the purity and prosperity of the Church, are objects which should engage the first desires and labors of every faithful minister of Christ." The time of the formation of the Association was one in which the friends of evangelical truth felt the need of zealous warfare. And warfare it was, in right good earnest, for the first twenty years of this body's existence. The originators of this Association, and the men who composed it during that score of years, were staunch warriors. The experience of Codman, in Dorchester, of Gile, in Milton, of Sheldon, in Easton, as well as many others, was such as tried men's souls; and none but men of unflinching courage, of steady, firm adherence to the truth, could have won such victories. Such experience fitted these men for an active co-operation in every home missionary work. In 1818, the General Association formed what they called the Domestic Missionary Society. It was composed of the members of the General Association, and its meetings held during the same week. About this time, we find the members of the Union Association taking active measures in helping the churches in Canton and Stoughton, which were feeble, and had strong foes to contend with in the Unitarian ranks. We find them, also, taking active measures toward raising subscriptions to the funds of the Massachusetts Domestic Missionary Society. At the meeting in October, 1822, there was a free discussion on the "subject of ministerial duty in relation particularly to the lamentable state of religious declension in the churches." At the next meeting, in April, 1823, Dr. Codman, in behalf of a committee previously appointed "to report some plan by which the members of this body may unitedly promote the interests of the Domestic Missionary Society of Massachusetts," made a lengthy report, which alluded to the several feeble churches and societies in our immediate vicinity, who are struggling for existence, and have a powerful claim upon the sympathies and exertions of this Association. To aid them was "both a duty and a privilege." To aid these churches, and at the same time help forward the work of the Domestic Missionary Society of the State, the report embodied a series of resolutions which led to the formation of the Union Domestic Missionary Society, as auxiliary to the State Society. This was composed of the members of the Association, together with lay delegates from the several churches. The meetings were held the same day with the meetings of the Association. Collections were taken up at these meetings by the Association. Collectors were appointed, in the several churches, in order to canvass each town. The home missionary work has always occupied a good share of attention; although, since the formation of the Conference, it has been carried on chiefly under the auspices of that body, some church being continually helped by the Conference. In July, 1826, there was proposed and adopted, and a committee appointed to make the necessary arrangements for carrying out, a resolution in regard to several poor and needy parishes, "Carver, Rochester, Westport, Fall River, Assonet, Wellington, and Stoughton." This resolution provided that the brethren should go, two by two, to each of these places, and spend not less than ten days in laboring and preaching among the people, and, after an interval of four weeks, to be followed by two others. PERSONS APPROBATED BY THE ASSOCIATION, AS CANDIDATES FOR THE MINISTRY. 31st October, 1815, the records read as follows: The Union Association met at Charlestown. Present, Dr. Morse, Brethren Codman, Gile, and Storrs. The Rev. Mr. Perkins, and Messrs. Pomeroy, Goodrich, and Fitch, candidates for the ministry, were invited to sit with the Association. The meeting was opened with prayer, by Brother Gile. Voted, That it be considered a part of the business of this Association to approbate candidates for the gospel ministry. Proceeded to the examination of Mr. Leonard Withington, of Dorchester. Mr. Withington, having read a discourse from Acts xxvi. 9, and answered a number of questions to the satisfaction of the Association, Voted, nemine contra-dicente, That he receive the approbation of this Association to preach the gospel, and that a certificate to this effect be given him, signed by the moderator and scribe. The full list of men who have been approbated by this Association is as follows: Reuben Emerson, Dartm'h, 1798, So. Reading. Joseph Emerson, Harvard, 1798, Beverly. Samuel Walker, Dartm'h, 1802, Danvers. Williams, 1807, Braintree. Abel G. Duncan, Calvin Durfee, Paul Couch, Cohasset. Dartm'h, 1826, Abington. Braintree. Quincy. Hanover. Williams, 1825, S. Dedham. Erastus Dickinson, Amherst, 1832. Brown, 1818, N. Abington. Dan'l H. Babcock, Wes. Res., 1836, Cohasset. F. V. Tenney, W. M. Harding, Nelson Clark, Amherst, 1841, S. Braintree. Amherst, 1843, Cohasset. Brown, 1834, Campello. Henry L. Edwards, Amherst, 1847, S. Abington. Stephen H. Hayes, Bowdoin, 1838, S. Weym'th. William Leonard. ON PASTORAL DUTIES. [Read before the Rutland (Vt.) Association of Ministers, and published at their request.] BY REV. SILAS AIKEN, D. D., RUTLAND, VT. It is not proposed to bring the entire subject of pastoral duties into consideration, including public preaching, prayer, and the administration of gospel ordinances, but rather that part of it which relates to the pastor's labors, apart from, though intimately connected with, his public ministry, and upon which the success of his ministry greatly depends. Indeed the phrase "pastoral duties," in its popular acceptation, has main and almost exclusive regard to the more private care, oversight, and instruction of the flock. The Scriptures give such instructions, in regard to the right discharge of the pastoral office, as involve the special care and oversight now under consideration. Mark the Saviour's description of the good shepherd, in the tenth chapter of the gospel of John. The good shepherd so well knows his sheep, that he calls them by name, and leads them out; and they follow him, for they know his voice. Whereas, the hireling, who careth not for the sheep, and is a stranger to them, they will not follow, for they know not the voice of strangers. Again, in the parable of the lost sheep, when but one of the flock has gone astray, the faithful shepherd notices the loss, leaves the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and goes in search of the one that is lost, until he finds it. "I am the Good Shepherd," said Christ," and know my sheep, and am known of mine." If the Christian pastor should be like Christ, these parables clearly indicate his duty in regard to a personal and familiar acquaintance with his people. Again, mark the charge of Paul to the elders of Ephesus: "Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers; " and then he reminds them that, during the three years of his labors at Ephesus, he had been serving God, with all humility of mind, with many tears and temptations, and had "not ceased to warn every one, night and day, with tears," and had “taught them publicly, and from house to house;" wherefore he calls them to witness that he was "pure from the blood of all men." Also to the Colossians, "warning every man, and teaching every man, in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." The same apostle's charge to Timothy was, "Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine." And to the Hebrews he said, "Obey them that have the rule over you, for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account." Other passages, of like import, might be cited; and it is obvious that neither the letter nor spirit of these instructions is obeyed by the pastor who ignores this particular oversight of his people, and confines himself almost exclusively to the labors of the pulpit. Says Richard Baxter, in discoursing on pastoral duties, "Our taking heed to all the flock necessarily supposes that we should know every person that belongs to our charge; for how can we take heed to them, if we do not know them? We must labor to be acquainted as fully as we can, not only with the persons, but with the state of our people, their inclinations and conversa tions, what are the sins they are most the oversight of souls, and for such reasons as follow: 1. A particular oversight and care of the flock, as already intimated, is involved in the idea of the pastoral work, in danger of; what duties they neglect, both with respect to the matter and the manner; and to what temptations they are peculiarly liable. If we know not the temperament or disease, we are likely to prove unsuccessful physi- is a part of it, and can no more be cians." pushed aside or ignored, than any other 66 Being thus acquainted with all the flock, we must do the work of a pastor toward every individual. And one would imagine that all reasonable men would be so well satisfied in regard to this, that nothing need be said to recommend it. Does not a careful shepherd look after every individual sheep, and a good physician attend every particular patient? Why, then, should not the shepherds and physicians of the church take heed to every individual member of their charge?" Baxter then proceeds, after his own graphic and pungent manner, to say how the pastor should deal with the different characters and conditions found among his people: as with those who are ignorant in the matters of their salvation; with awakened and inquiring souls; with families, to see that they are well ordered, that catechetical instruction, the daily reading of the Scriptures, and prayer, are maintained in them; with the sick and dying; with scandalous offenders, seeking to bring them to repentance, before their cases are reported for public discipline; and with humble, upright Christians, who adorn their profession, for their due encouragement in the ways of God. Without affirming that just this manner of personal inspection and private instruction, in the form here set forth, is adapted to all times and circumstances, we think it must be conceded, that, in substance and design, these suggestions of the noted pastor of Kidderminster are right, and in accordance with the revealed will of God; and that, substantially, such a course of pastoral labor is incumbent on every one who takes upon him part. If the teaching of Christ, enforced by an example which perfectly fulfilled the words of the prophet, "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom;" if the example and teaching of the apostles furnish the true pattern and law of a pastor's work, — then the man who assumes the sacred office, and, in the neglect of the personal inspection and private instruction of the souls committed to his care, thinks to discharge his obligations by his pulpit labors, is sadly derelict in duty. He sets aside the scriptural model, and sets up a standard of his own devising instead. He does not take heed to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost has made him overseer. Just as consistently with the pastoral office might he neglect to teach publicly, as from house to house. Just as consistently refuse to preach to the Athenians on Mars Hill, as to the jailer and his household at Philippi, or to the woman of Samaria at Jacob's well. 2. The pastor needs the knowledge derived from these more private labors, in order to the most effective performance of his public duties. By familiar acquaintance with the families and individuals of his charge, he learns, as he can learn in no other way, the character of the minds he has to deal with, their errors, dangers and temptations, the extent of their knowledge, the current of their thoughts and feelings, and by what avenues he can best find access to the hearts of his people. In this way grave and important subjects of discourse are continually suggested to his mind, such as |