“My gifts to the A. M. A. have been necessarily reduced to meet my change in circumstances. I gave five dollars at our last collection, which was the price of a cushion in my pew. I believe that under the circumstances the hard side of a board will be softer than the soft side of a cushion. There is no special merit in it, but I feel that it is an encouragement to the workers to know that many in the churches are willing to give up little comforts for the sake of them and the cause.” EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS. * * * * * The new pastor of the Park Street Church, Boston, Rev. David Gregg, in his first sermon after installation, discussed the duties of the Pulpit and the Pews. One who heard it said at the close, “Well, that was a sermon that would please the secretaries of our benevolent societies as well as the rest of us.” Depend on it, that any sermon of which such testimony can be borne has two things characteristic of it: One is, it must be a gospel sermon, and another is, it must be interesting. It has been our privilege to read the sermon as reported in the Boston daily papers. It fills the bill. It is full of the gospel, and a thrill of interest runs all the way through it. Speaking for the Secretaries of the A. M. A., we can say they are pleased, intensely so. Here are two brief extracts that sufficiently justify their pleasure: “Is it the duty of Park Street pulpit to accept the service and co-operation of the Park Street pews? The pulpit here and now solemnly performs its duty, and declares its acceptance of co-operation and service. I have come among you for this very purpose. I come to beseech you to throw yourself for all you are worth into the work of the church, I come to command you in the name of the Lord that you love, not for yourselves. I greet your locked-up wealth, and ask it to come forth from the vaults of the bank to meet me and to join me in the work of Christ. I promise you to be the most liberal man in the world in dealing out your money from your pocket-books, and in accepting and in giving away your time. I am willing that every righteous and needy cause under the broad heavens shall call upon you for aid. I come among you to tell you that you have the same obligations before God to consecrate yourselves and all you have to the gospel that Jesus Christ had when he lived his sublime and devoted life. I put a gospel mortgage this day upon the pastor and people of this church, and upon all that we have, by way of brain and heart power, and gold and trade, and time and business, and natural endowment and acquired attainment. Park Street pews, you can offer no good thing to the pulpit of this church, in order that you may glorify Christ and build up his cause here, that the pulpit will not take and publicly credit. This pulpit welcomes to the service of Christ every agency filled with the spirit of Christ.” * * * * * * *