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THE KING’S BUSINESS
every opportunity to talk with them regard ing the Saviour and their attitude towards Him. He ranked high as a student, win ning many triumphs in his classes. He received his degree, with honors, in 1834 and entered the University o f Glasgow for further study. Here he became one of the most active leaders in the Students’ Missionary Society, and it was while listen ing to an address from an intending mis sionary to China, delivered at one o f the meetings o f this society, that he realized the possibilities o f a life o f fellowship with God, and that he was led to dedicate his life to service in the foreign field—not as common an occurrence then as it is now. He was engaged in very definite Christian Work, teaching young men’s Bible classes and endeavoring to win others to his Sav iour. He realized deeply the necessity o f having' stated seasons o f private devotion and urged his friends to the same, as some extracts from his letters show: “ The great fundamental error then, as far as I can see, in the economy o f the .Christian life, which many, and alas! I for one cominit, is that o f having too few and too short periods o f solemn retirement with our gracious Father and His adorable Son Jesus Christ. It is, we well know, when meditating in secret on His Word, when examining our hearts in His holy and omniscient but fatherly and gracious presence, when pouring out our complaint before Him, and seeking to utter the praises o f His glorious character and works —it is' in these exercises that we come to know, through the teaching o f the Spirtt, our natural darkness, depravity and vile ness, and that the glorious Sun o f Righ teousness arises upon our souls with heal ing in His wings, giving light to us who sit in darkness and in the region and shadow o f death. .- . . . O, that our private and personal covenanting with the Lord were more frequent and regular. O, L ord ! teach Thou me to grow daily and hourly in the apprehension o f Thy unspeak able sovereign love to me, a miserable sin ner, that I may be constrained, out o f
the abundance o f an overflowing heart, continually to commend Thee to others who need Thy love as much as I, and deserve it just as little.” ' HE HAD A BURDEN A great burden for the salvation o f the unconverted was upon him. One day'" he passed his mother on the street, and though she went straight up to him, when she spoke to him he seemed almost like one awakened from a dr^am. In apology he said: “ O, mother, I did not see y ou : fot when walking along Argyle Street just now, I was so overcome with the sight o f the countless crowds o f immortal beings eagerly hasting, hither and thither, but all ' posting onwards towards the eternal world, that I could bear it no longer, and turned in here to seek relief in quiet thought.” Mr. Burns was licensed to preach the Gospel by the presbytery o f Glasgow on March 27th, 1839. During the previous year he had offered himself to his church. - to labor as a missionary in Hindustan, and had been encouraged to believe that he would be sent out. He was offered a charge at ’ St. Johns, New Brunswick, and was inclined to accept it, believing that when the board was ready to send him to India, he could sail direct from America. The board would not consent to" such an arrangement and he dropped the matter. That the Lord’s hand was directing the affairs o f this man whose highest ambition waá to be in the place that the Lord wanted him, is plain from what now took place. The Church o f Scotland at this time appointed- a commission or deputation to visit Europe and Palestine to enquire into the state o f the Jews. Among others com posing the commission were Robert Mur ray McCheyne, pastor o f St. Peter’s, Dun dee; Andrew Bonar o f Collace, and Alexander Keith, author o f The Evidence o f Prophecy. Mr. McCheyne was led to invite William Burns to supply his pulpit in Dundee during his absence, an invitation which the latter accepted, but which, had he gone to America, he would have been unable to do. That the invitation was
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