Oh! beloved brethren! ’twas a solemn scene;—the adorable Mediator with the shadows of death deepening around him, employed in earnest addresses to his FATHER. The Garden—the Judgment Seat—the Scourge—the Cross, were full before him. On what now is His spirit bent? On what subjects does he meditate? His prayer will tell, and tell how fully his heart was occupied with the work of mercy—the well-being of his church—the honour of his Father—the salvation of the world. It was then he uttered the prayer in which he sought for his people, that they all may be one, that the world may be converted to him. He had _charged_ them “to love one another.” He had shown them that they were _virtually_ “all one:” By the sacred supper, he had sought to cherish their love and union, and now by his example he taught them to make it the burden of their prayer. And even still his heart longs for this! He looks down from his exalted throne, upon that church which he so much regards, and which he “has purchased with his own blood;” that church to which he has entrusted such a high and glorious work; big with the richest blessings for a ruined and wretched world. He sees that church divided, torn, distracted, alienations and strifes prevailing, whilst the world’s millions are waiting, _uninstructed_, _unenlightened_, _unblest_; and then, having connected the conversion of the world with the unity of the church, he again pours forth the intercession, “Father, may they all be one, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” In the endeavour to fulfil that duty, which the Directors of the London Missionary Society have assigned me, I feel I need your sympathy, and your prayers. I stand before you “in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.” From a sense of my own insufficiency to perform this duty aright, as well as from the conviction that I may be standing in the room of some more qualified and acceptable advocate of the cause, I was naturally reluctant to leave the quietude of a country village and place myself in this public situation: on the other hand, believing that this was a call from GOD, to bear my humble testimony to His truth in this great Metropolis, and that in endeavouring to do his will, we shall not fail of his grace; I have come beloved brethren, and would seek to offer a few remarks upon the interesting subject now introduced to your notice. The subject I am fully aware, is now one of those to which so much attention has been given of late years, that I cannot hope to present it more clearly or forcibly than it has already been placed in your view: all I can attempt is to bring these things again to your remembrance, and again to urge them upon the attentive consideration of the Christian Church. In doing so, I propose to consider three things— I. The object, which in this Petition, the SAVIOUR seeks. II. The means by which it is to be promoted. III. The reasons why it should be most earnestly desired.