Hence appears the importance of the _Prayer of faith_. Christ is the Strong One, stronger than Satan, in whose name prayer is to be offered to the Father: and in answer to believing prayer, the Holy Spirit is poured forth, on individuals, on Churches, on Nations, on the whole World. Who can overpower the Almighty Spirit, when it pleases Him to work? Without his influence, nothing, even under the most favourable circumstances, can be effected: with His influence, every good work, under most unfavourable circumstances, may and will be effected. _Not by power_, _not by might_, _but by my Spirit_, _saith the Lord of Hosts_. _Who art thou_, _O great mountain_! _before Zerubbabel_, _thou shalt become a plain_. By the power of the Spirit, every difficulty presented by the Million shall vanish. The heart of the Million shall be bowed, as the heart of one man. This will be in answer to prayer; whether secret prayer; or both secret and social prayer. Another consideration deeply affecting to my mind, is this. Among the various means for the promotion and preservation of a nation’s welfare, there is not one of higher importance than the exercise of _A faithful Gospel-Ministry_. I am, on principle, a Clergyman of the Church of England: but I honour Ministers of every Communion, who with simplicity and godly sincerity preach Christ. In the present eventful crisis, we need the aid of all. Here is no question of Church and Dissent: the question is, whether or not Popery and Pleasure shall over-run the land—whether we shall uphold the Law of God, and Christ’s Gospel; or violate both. There is a great Duty now lying before us: namely—_To make the Lord’s Day profitable and interesting to the People_. By the Crystal Palace scheme the People are invited to Pleasure: at least for the second half of the day. The favourers of this scheme expressly undertake to teach the People “to amuse themselves:” and Sunday, from one o’clock till night-fall, is selected for the purpose of promoting this object among the working classes. As Ministers of Christ, then, are we not now brought to the test? “Will we endeavour to make the Lord’s Day—the whole of it—interesting and useful to the Million? How likewise may we put the people into the way of making this day interesting to themselves?” I feel the difficulties of this part of the subject: nor can I remove them by proposing so many more Sermons, Services, Sabbath-Schools, &c., although works of such kind would naturally form a part of any plan of extending usefulness. But I feel, and long have felt that there is one great, vital measure; which, if God should bless us in the universal promotion of that measure, will diffuse spiritual health and happiness through all classes of society.