influence, many benevolent and pious institutions may rise and shine to
bless the world.

But it is not to ministers alone, that cities present large fields for
exertion. Private Christians also have abundant opportunities for
usefulness. In the walks of business, the influence of one inflexibly
just man is felt as far as his name is known. If Christians, in our
cities, would conduct themselves agreeably to the Bible, how awful to
the wicked would be their example! What reformations would be wrought
among the worldly and profane! How many haunts of poverty and
wretchedness would be searched out! How many souls, once in communion
with the saints, would be brought back from their wanderings! How many
children, rescued from vice, would be brought to the Sabbath school; and
there, perhaps, be taught of God to become themselves angels of mercy!
How many meetings for prayer and exhortation would every week be
sustained among the poor and the wretched! How many of these degraded
immortals might be rescued from temporal and eternal darkness, to become
lights in the world, and stars in the kingdom of our Father's glory!
What field then offers so rich and large an harvest to faithful labour?
The same exertion, that would instruct hundreds in the country, may
reach thousands in the city. Public sentiment has too long checked the
movements of sympathy for these congregated thousands. A voice, almost
unbroken, has sounded out; 'Peculiar and insuperable difficulties
prevent a general revival in cities: such are the occupations, such the
habits, such the temptations, and such the superabounding iniquity, that
it were visionary to hope for any general and powerful work of mercy.'
Well, then, had we not better give all up; and let human nature here
sink into its natural channels; and let multitudes before our eyes
continue to crowd the gates of the second death! O God, forbid such
cowardice, cruelty, and treachery in thy servants! No; we will not thus