2.  The work external to itself to be performed by the congregation, as a body, consists generally in its “doing good unto all as God giveth it an opportunity.”  The home mission within the district or city in which it is placed will engage its first efforts; and after that, or along with that, the aiding by its contributions and prayers to evangelise the world.

But the point which I would specially insist upon in this paper is, the vast importance of developing, combining, and directing the gifts of all the members of the congregation for accomplishing both its inner and outer work.

If we read the apostolic epistles, (see I Cor. xii. 14-27,) the impression which, as I have already said, they give us of a Christian congregation is that of a body so organised as that each and every member is made useful to the whole body, and the particular gift which God bestows upon the weakest and most insignificant (for “He hath set the members in the body as it hath pleased Him”) is so appreciated and applied, that “the head” or “the eye”—­the most intelligent or most discerning—­cannot say to that weak member, “I have no need of thee”.

It may be alleged that the congregations of the primitive Church are not intended to be models in their peculiar organisation for modern times.  But is not the primitive Church system of union and mutual co-operation essential to the very idea of a Christian society?  And what authority is there for its assembling together to hear sermons, to pray, or to partake of the sacraments, which is not equally binding for its performing of all the other duties and enjoying all the other privileges described by the apostles as pertaining to church-members?

Now, in most cases, everything is left to the minister or his official assistants.  The calculation is never soberly made as to his bodily or mental powers to do all which is expected of him.  There is an immense faith in both.  It is assumed that he, and not the congregation, is the body; that he alone, therefore, possesses the eye, the tongue, the ear, and the hand;—­and some ministers seem so pleased with their elevated position as to be unwilling that any should share it with them.  But when the minister is alive to the responsibility of his position, and when he is so fortunate as to have in his congregation men and women who share his convictions, and are willing to share the labour which these entail, even then there is still the tendency on the part of the great bulk of the members to have their work done by proxy.  They have no objection that visiting, teaching, almsgiving, and the like, should be done by “the committee,”—­while the committee, perhaps, are inclined, in their turn, to leave it to Mr A., or Miss B., who are active members of it.  It is true we must labour, in the meantime, with whatever instrumentality God furnishes, and make the most of it, but we must not cease to aim at realising