is now some years ago since I first entered upon the work of my first parish in London. I received a district of 10,000 people in the parish of Marylebone, cut off from St. Mary's, Bryanston Square. There were no rich people in the district, and I had to set about the work with many difficulties to contend with. I had the help of a Scripture reader, a Pastoral-aid worker, and three Bible-women, but still that was not sufficient. As we went on with the work we found a City missionary working in one corner of the district, and we found that he got hold of the people that we were getting hold of. I felt, "This will never do, because we are treading upon each other's heels." So I went to the Committee of the Society and represented the case to them. I said, "We have got a common object in view; we only want to take the Gospel to the masses. I am unfortunately in this position: that I cannot go beyond my bounds. I am tied by the parochial system (a very good system, too). Now, I will undertake the superintendence of the missionary if you will kindly let me do so." The Committee at once said they would, and from that time I began to work heartily in connection with the City Mission. But this was not the end of my connection. I was asked to undertake what I believe to be a most important part in the work of the Society; I was asked to become one of the examiners of the City missionaries. I say this is perhaps the most important part of the whole work, for our success very much depends upon the men whom we select to carry on the work. There is a tendency in the present day for men to take up this kind of work when everything else fails. Well, that will never do. We must not have this work undertaken simply as a profession. We want men constrained by the love of Christ; we want men with an accurate knowledge of the Word of God to go and deal with the masses of the people; and if we have not this class of men as our City missionaries, the work will fail sooner or later. We may have five hundred City missionaries, but unless they are men of God, unless they know the Word of God, they will never carry out the work of God. I look back, therefore, with the greatest pleasure upon my connection with this Society. I dare say there are some missionaries now before me who have passed through my hands. I hope they did not find me very severe; but if they did, I can tell them that I was only severe in my examination of them because I was anxious about the good of the Society. The question before us this morning, as it seems to me, is, How can we stir one another up to take greater interest in the work? I believe there are three things which are necessary. We need first of all a deep sense of our responsibility in the sight of God; we need secondly a keen sense of sin in God's sight; and, last of all, we need a lively sense of God's presence and power with us. I believe these three things are necessary,