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PREFACE.

IN commencing the year with a new volume-especially one having a different title-a few introductory remarks will be looked for with pleasure by our readers. Lengthened prefaces, besides having become obsolete and unpopular, are seldom read with interest; and, as it is impossible to say what articles a miscellaneous periodical may contain, a suitable introduction must be somewhat difficult to write. But, whilst in a great measure, we are ignorant of the contents of the volume, we may still entertain correct ideas as to what we intend to be their character, so as to be enabled to present the work in such a form as to excel any of its predecessors.

The topics proposed for discussion and edification, in these days of general inquiry, are so numerous and varied, that the difficulty is what to select, and what to pass by. The important questions of Education-State Education, Church Education, Family Education, and Self-education-demand, and are now engaging, public notice. To these subjects some attention will be paid in our monthly communication to the brethren and the world at large. Hence our first address from the pen of Brother Campbell, which is worthy of the profound attention of all. Other papers, equally important and interesting, are already in our possession, and will appear in due course as the months roll on.

But, our great desire is the conversion of sinners to God, and to engage the minds of sincere and conscientious professors of religion in a more full examination into the claims and beauties of primitive christianity, as delineated in the New Testament. We also desire that our brethren should obtain a more correct knowledge of Christian discipline, training, and congregational edification—that they should delight more in primitive worship and primitive order-that they should be more constantly alive to the duty of assembling themselves on the Lord's day-and that they should render their meetings more interesting to themselves and to the community by whom they are surrounded. These are objects of primary importance, claiming our serious and assiduous attention.

Again, christian righteousness-we mean christian morality and piety— must have more of our particular regard. In this age, and in this enlightened country too, the mass of the people—and even those who profess christianity-have an extremely low standard of morality. It is alarming and portentous. In the counting-house-in the market-place-in the forumin the tavern-in business contracts, and we may almost say in the church -a man's profession of christianity will not secure him from suspicion of actions dishonorable, unjust, or ungenerous, in the estimation of men of the world. The golden rule, as ye would that others should do to you, do ye even so to them," is not personally and calmly considered: this arises from

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the undue selfishness of the human heart, which needs to be constantly guarded. The rule is applicable not merely to one, but to every disciple of Christ. As Christ tasted death for every man, so all men ought to become his disciples, and thus place themselves under his heavenly, pure, and heartpenetrating guidance.

What a melancholy change in the Christian world, compared with the times when, to say "I am a Christian," was a passport to the confidence even of the enemies of christianity, for all that was true, just, and generous among men. In such a state of society, a Christian is doubly bound to be an honor to that profession-in all goodness, righteousness, and truthwhich, in more auspicious times, would have been-and which, in every age, should be—a sacred ornament and shield to all arrayed under its pure and holy banners.

These are some of the topics which will be adverted to in the forthcoming volume of the BRITISH MILLENNIAL HARBINGER, AND FAMILY MAGAZINE. A word or two, in conclusion, on the change of our name. When two periodicals, of the same name, and putting forth the same pretensions, are in existence, they frequently intercept and cross each other's path. The Episcopalians led the way with their monthly "Christian Messenger." Of this we were not aware, at the time of commencement; but now that we are assuming a more popular form, we deemed it essentially important, to find an appropriate and somewhat attractive title. Whether we have succeeded in our endeavour, so as to give satisfaction to all, we cannot, of course, determine.

The term millennial, at present, has a biblical meaning only. What that meaning is, we shall not now attempt to explain. Time, that great revealer of secrets, must do this for the world; and then it will become matter of historical record, to the wonder and admiration of an intelligent universe. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom, under the whole heavens, shall be given to the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God; and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, thou King of saints! Who shall not fear Thee, oh Lord, and glorify Thy name? for Thou only art holy; for all nations shall come and worship before Thee; for Thy judgments are made manifest.-Rev. xv. 2.

And there was a great voice in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.

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expired without achieving any thing

WERE I asked what element or for them, their country, or the human attribute of mind confers the greatest race, but for this peculiar vis a tergo lustre on human character, I would this active, operative, and impulsive not select it from those most conspi- ingredient in the human constitution. cuous in the poet, the orator, the Sustained and impelled by this impetus philosopher, or the elegant artist; I or power, endowments very moderate would not name any of those endow- may accomplish-nay, have accomments which are usually regarded as plished more for human kind than superlative in adorning the reputation the brightest parts have ever done of the man of genius, or of distinguished without it. That power, or element of talent; I would not call it memory, our constitution, which makes humreason, taste, imagination; but I ble talents respectable; respectable would call it energy. I am sorry talents, commanding; commanding that it has not a more expressive and talents, transcendant; and without a more captivating name; but, gen- which the most splendid power can tlemen, that something, which we effect nothing-may, we presume, be shall call energy, is the true primum regarded as chief of the elements of mobile-the real mainspring of all human nature. greatness and eminence among men. Were I again asked what power, Without it, all the rarer and higher or art, or habit, most of all accelerates powers of our nature are useless, or and facilitates the acquisition of worse than useless. The genius of knowledge; which most of all widens, a Milton, a Newton, a Locke, or a deepens, and enlarges the capacity of Franklin, would have languished and the human mind; feeling myself sus

tained by the oracles of reason and minated our concentrativeness. Be the decision of experience, with equal this true or false in theory, one thing promptitude I would allege that it is is evident-that without attention, that undefined and undefinable some-nothing is perceived, and consequently thing, which no one comprehends, but nothing learned; while by it, all which every one understands, usually nature and society, as they pass called the faculty or art of attention before us, find a way into the cham-a power, indeed, not often appre-bers of the human mind, and are ciated, not easily cultivated, and never safely lodged in the spacious apartenough commanded, even by the most ment of our intellectual nature, whence devoted sons of literature and science. they diffuse themselves through all But a small remnant, an elect few of the avenues of human life and human our race, have ever known how to action.

use their eyes, their ears, or their And were I still farther interrogated hands in the pursuit and acquisition what other habit, art, or power comof useful knowledge, much less to pletes the measure of the comparative direct and govern the operations of superiority of individual greatness, I their own minds in the application would as decidedly, and, I think as of it. rationally answer, that it is the faculty

Of a great majority it may as truly or habit of classifying our acquisitions be said, though not in the identical and conceptions under proper heads. sense of the Great Teacher, "Eyes It is the power of properly labelling they have, but they see not; ears every new thought, and of marshalling they have, but they hear not; and all our ideas under their proper cappowers of understanding, but they tains on every emergency. It is the perceive not." They know not, in- power of generalizing and abstracting deed, how to use their senses, or their whatever is foreign to some grand reason, or material nature; and, idea, or some particular system, or therefore, perform the whole journey law, or principle of nature. Every of life with a few vague, indistinct, man will be eminent amongst his incomplete, and misshapen concep- compeers in the ratio of his readiness tions; and finally embark for eternity and power to classify the objects of without a clear, definite, or a correct nature, society, art, and religion; or, idea of their relations to the universe, what is the same thing, his views of or of their responsibilities to Creator them, according to any given attribute or creature. or property which they may possess, Some might consider this use of or according to any end or object he our perceptive powers as what is may have in view. usually called observation. But what To a person well disciplined and is observation? Another name for practised in classification, all nature, the attentive application of our minds society, literature, science, art, ever through the senses, to whatever passes stand rank and file before him, before us in the operations of nature according to his intimacies with and society. And this again depends them. In the philosophy and skill upon what the new school of mental- of the greatest military chieftain that ists have agreed to denominate con- ever lived, he can assemble the greatcentrativeness. They have discovered, est force to a given point in the or think they have discovered, that shortest time. He, too, superlatively there is a native, original, and distinct enjoys his own knowledge, just as a power of mind, by which the other prudent mistress of a household, who powers are concentrated, commanded, has a place for everything, and every or continued on the objects around thing in its place, enjoys all her us. This they have very aptly deno-resources. He also sees order, har

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