IN speaking of a recent visit of an English minister to this country, Zion's Herald remarks: “The fascination which draws hearers to the lips of this earnest minister, is the positive personal faith with which he utters truth, the evident conviction which he exhibits that his hearers vitally need the grace he urges upon them, and the always apparent singleness of object in all his pulpit exercises. His manner, without the slightest appearance of cant, his prayers, his themes, his whole bearing awaken the conviction in the minds of his hearers that he is a true ambassador of Christ, and has a divine message to deliver. He does not often thrill his audiences, or awaken their surprise at his power, or carry them away with a temporary gust of emotion; but he excites searching thought, stirring convictions, earnest prayers and resolves, and freely descending tears. The presence of the Holy Spirit is manifestly with the Word. “Theological professors and students heard him. It is to be hoped that the lesson will not be forgotten. This is the kind of preaching needed in this nineteenth century in the city of Boston. Nothing but the gospel, as a divine provision for the forgiveness, renewal, inspiration and salvation of man, the vital and indispensable requirement of every soul, can meet the spiritual wants of the most wretched and the most polished of our community. Christ, after all, draws effectually, and not his ministers. ‘And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.’ “The other Sabbath a respected young minister filled a pulpit, where perhaps, eight hundred people listened to him. There are only fifty-two Sabbaths in the year—a very small portion of the time to be devoted to an earnest consideration of eternal realities, in this beguiling world. Somebody is probably always requiring direct and earnest religious counsel, in view of imminent temptation, coming sickness, or the approach of death. Our younger brother stood before such a congregation—the ambassador of God to man—and simply read a well composed essay upon friendship! As an article for a magazine, a contribution for a religious newspaper, or a literary lecture, this was all right enough. The young speaker made a pleasant impression as to manner and intellectual ability; but this is not preaching, and his theme is not the gospel! Little progress in the work of converting men, or spreading holiness throughout the land, will follow such preaching as this. Even if the topic is made more pertinent, and the intellectual power is more obvious, barrenness will be upon the pulpit, and worldliness and spiritual weakness in the pews, unless the commissioned teachers of religion sink everything beside into the one object of presenting the revealed grace of God as the only, and effectual, and indispensable cure of sin, and comfort of the really redeemed sinner. “Would not many ministers be a little surprised, if, after one of their discourses, an unconverted man should linger behind the retiring congregation to inquire with undisguised emotion, ‘What shall I do to be saved?’ ” — The Christian.