months to the harvest," and any prospect of reaping a harvest of immortal souls is distant : but now we may say, " Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest." Observe what the state of things is,
1. Abroad —
[Was there ever such a co-operation seen, as that which now exists throughout almost the whole of Christendom, for the diffusion of the Holy Scriptures, and for the translation of them into all the different languages of the world ? A few years ago such a combination of zeal in the interests of religion would have been thought to be scarcely within the
regions of possibility a The multitude of missions, too,
which are now established in every quarter of the globe, are
no less worthy of our especial notice13 A field laden
with the ripened produce of the earth scarcely differs more from that which is lying fallow, than the face of Christendom does in these respects from its aspect at any period during the last two hundred years.]
2. At home —
[Here it comes more within our own more immediate observation. See the societies formed throughout the land for every benevolent purpose, and especially for whatever may advance the kingdom of Christ on earth ; such as, for the education of children, the circulation of the Bible, the sup- port of missions, &c. &c. It is a remarkable fact, that whereas fifteen years ago the whole amount of annual subscriptions for such purposes did not amount to more than 50,000/., they now exceed 500,000/. Together with this, true piety also has increased to a vast extent0 We may well there- fore regard our whole country as " a field, that is white already to harvest."]
Let us now extend our views to, II. The encouragement we have to make a suitable improvement of them —
All should labour, to the utmost of their power, to advance the interests of the Redeemer's kingdom. And to this we have equal encouragement,
a Here will be ample scope for such particulars as may be deemed worthy of particular notice.
b Here, also, particular Missions may be specified.
c Here any particulars relating to any of the above things may be introduced : and, if need be, some reference to the particular congre- gation addressed.