l, presented such strong
claims to the mind of Paul, as seemed likely to fix there his permanent
abode. What pastor of the present day can urge stronger reasons for
continuing his charge, than Paul might have urged for continuing his
relation to the large church at Ephesus? For in addition to a large city
and a large church, the converts had been but lately gathered from
heathenism--were but babes in Christ--and needed constant instruction
and unwearied care. Yet God was pleased to allow Demetrius to excite an
uproar, and thus to sever Paul from his church and congregation, and
send him abroad into Macedonia. This is another _fact_--a STUBBORN FACT,
which we ought to bear in mind, and weigh well. If God saw best thus to
break tender ties, separate Paul from a large city and a large body of
such converts as, above all others, needed special care, and to leave
the important post almost destitute, _can it be_ his will that all the
pastors of the present day should stay in their places, and that none of
them should go forth to the heathen? If the city had been Boston, with
its thousand means of grace, the case would have been comparatively
weak; but it was Ephesus, a heathen city, and depending almost entirely
on the living voice of Paul, and yet this one preacher must become a
missionary. Let us look at this fact, and each one for himself draw
conclusions; not those that are wild and extravagant, but such as are
_true and sober_.

We have here a commentary on the last command of Jesus. It was commented
upon by the providence of God, separating the apostles from Jerusalem,
Antioch, and Ephesus. It was commented upon by the direct admonition of
the Holy Ghost in a particular case. It was commented upon by the
practice of the apostles. Let us beware that we substitute not, for this
correct commentary, any worldly-wise interpretation of our own. Let us
admit it just as it comes to us from early days, fresh and unmodified,
and allow it to govern our lives.

There are but few who do not admit, that the present distribution of
ministers is anti-apostolic--that many, who are now pastors, ought to
have become missionaries before they were settled. And can the mere fact
of being settled have produced such a vast change in the question of
duty, as to place it forever at rest? If the clustering together of
twelve thousand ministers within the bounds of the United States, where
a thousand means of grace and improvement exist besides t