ITS STATE AND PROSPECTS. A MONTHLY JOURNAL CONDUCTED BY MEMBERS OF THE EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE. WHERETO WE HAVE ALREADY ATTAINED, LET US WALK BY THE SAME RULE, LET US MIND THE SAME THING."-PHIL. III. 16 VOL. II.-NEW SERIES. BOL LONDON: PUBLISHED BY WILLIAM JOHN JOHNSON, 121, FLEET-STREET. EDINBURGH: JOHN MENZIES. DUBLIN: CURRY AND CO., AND ALL BOOKSELLERS. MDCCCLXI, PREFACE. THE Second Volume of the new and enlarged series of EVANGELICAL CHRISTENDOM is now completed, and with it the fifteenth year of our literary existence; during which period we have been enabled to chronicle no small amount of important progress in various departments of the Church of Christ. We feel assured that events are approaching replete with undiminished interest to all sections of the Church, as well as to that cause of catholic union and love which has been our more distinctive object; and we trust that, having once more reached the starting-post, we may, with renewed help and strength, run the race set before us during the ensuing year. While our intelligence from the Continent of Europe has been perhaps our most constant and peculiar source of interest, we have been increasingly desirous to obtain special communications from missionaries in all parts of the world, and of all denominations; thus more and more manifesting the oneness of Christ's real Church and the catholicity of our views. And as EVANGELICAL CHRISTENDOM is now extensively circulated amongst missionaries of all denominations throughout the greater part of the earth, we trust to receive from various regions communications of increased interest and variety. Nor would we desire to confine such communications to those who agree with our own views. Rather, we would wish that Christian corre spondents, in a true brotherly Christian spirit, would freely exercise their liberty of pointing out what they may think mistakes in our columns, if by so doing good may ensue to the great cause of truth and righteousness. Either in the editorial department, or in communications from correspondents, opinions may sometimes be broached with reference to missionary operations, or other subjects, which may seem to some minds ill-founded. We are living in an age of progress, of transition, and of great mental as well as mechanical activity. It is well, we think, within a certain range, and always in a spirit of sobriety and gentleness and kindness, to freely ventilate subjects of the kind referred to, in order to prevent stereotyping and stagnating where variety and movement may be more desirable; or, at all events, in order to reburnish what may prove, after all, to be sterling, though questioned for a time. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. And manly frankness in discussion can very well consist with mutual forbearance, and tend to mutual edification. Let our friends, therefore, kindly and fairly and openly speak out, and so by the blessing of God shall we. We are anxious for the increased development of missionary effort. In arts and arms and commerce and mechanical improvements the world stands not still, but proceeds with giant strides, and we are far from imagining that the Church of the Living God is |