THE NEW YORK 290 1897. DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, to wit : District Clerk's Office. BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the twenty-second day of January, A. D. 1817, and in the Forty-fiat Year of the Independence of the United States of America, the Trustees of the Baptist Missionary Society of Massachusetts, of the said District, have deposited in this Office the Title of a Book, the Right whereof they claim as Proprietors in the words following, to wit: "THE AMERICAN BAPTIST MAGAZINE, AND MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCER. NEW SERIES. That they all may be One......mn Jesus. One Lord, one faith, one baptism................Paul." In Conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, “ An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such Copies, during the Times therein mentioned ; and also to an Act entitled, " An Act supplementary to an Act, entitled, An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the Authort Ind Proprietors of such Copies during the times therein mentioned ; and extending the Benefits thereof to the Arts of Designing, Engraving and Etching Historical and other Prints." JOHN W. DAVIS, Clerk of the Diarict of Malacbuseth. INTRODUCTION. THE Editors of this Periodical Work, on commencing another volume, would express their gratitude to the “Father of Lights and the Giver of every good and perfect gift," for the degree of success which he has granted to their labours. When they published the first Number of the New Series, they ventured, as an experiment, to print six thousand. Such, however, was the increasing demand for this publication, that in little more than a year, there were ten thousand subscribers, and it was found expedient to issue a second edition of some of the early Numbers of the work. The editors do not state these facts in a spirit of boasting, but as reasons why they think they should thank God and take courage. Our thanks are also due to our respected Correspondents whose valuable and pious labours have so frequently en. riched the pages of the Magazine. We would avail ourselves of this opportunity, earnestly to solicit a continua.. tion of their favours. Without referring to other important considerations, we hope it will be sufficient to remind them that our hands have been weakened by the lamented decease of one who was associated with us in editorial labours. Such was the deep interest which Mr.Winchell felt for the prosperity of this work, that he recorded the following resolution in his diary : “My time has become very precious to me. I resolve as much as possible not to walk the streets, or any other place, without thinking upon some subject that will be of use to me or some one else. When I have no particular object in view, I will try to think of some thing for the assistance of the Baptist cause, and offer it for the Magazine.” But alas ! while forming such pure and zealous resolutions, he was cut off'; and we shall de rive no more assistance from the labours of his pen.. May this affecting event excite us, and our respected Correspondents, to work while the day lasts, for the night cometh in which no man can work. As we have on former occasions distinctly stated the nature and design of this publication, we conceive that any farther explanation is unnecessary. We indulge a hope, that the spirit and manner in which this work has hitherto been conducted, have justified the expectations, and secured the confidence of its patrons. We desire that the general character of the preceding volumes, may be considered as a specimen or earnest of what may be expected in future. We arrogate no claims to infallibility, and can make no promise that our future Numbers will not be marked with many imperfections ; yet, as we trust it will be our prevailing desire through this work, to promote the cause of pure and undefiled religion, we shall confidently rely on the candour and charity of our numerous readers. We shall endeavour to make the Magazine a register of departed piety and worth, a repository of doctrinal and practical truths, and a medium through which important missionary and religious intelligence may be diffused. The Ordination of Ministers, the Constitution of Churches, and the Opening of New Meeting-houses, with many other interesting facts, will here be preserved, which other. wise might be irrecoverably lost. It may perhaps give our readers pleasure, to be informed that in the month of May last, five hundred dollars, as the profits of this work, were devoted to missionary purposes. And a much larger sum will soon be appropriated to the same object, if they are punctual in performing their obligations to their respective agents. We now humbly commend ourselves, and our numerous readers, to God, and to the word of his grace, who is able to build us up, and to give us an inheritance among them that are sanctified. To him be glory throughout all ages. Amen. NOT WHAT A BOAST NOT THYSELF OF TO-MORROW, FOR THOU KNOWEST DAY MAY BRING FORTH. Prov. xxvii. 4. In human hearts what bolder thoughts can rise, Young. AS we have usually at the com- grain with the earth; and yet no mencement of a New Year, ad- one thinks him worthy of blame, dressed our readers on some sub- because this is the process, ject which was suggested by the which a kind Providence has aprapid light of time, we shall on pointed for supplying us with the the present occasion caution staff of life. The merchant who them agaiost a spirit of vain con- freights bis vessel with a valuable fidence in relation to the future. cargo, and sends her to a foreign Perhaps it may be proper to port-and the parent who is at remark, that the injunction, the expense of educating his " Boast not thyself of to-mor- children, act in relation to a future row," does not forbid all thought day. The former hopes for a of to-morrow. Neither does it prosperous return of his vessel; require, that our attention to sec- and the latter that his children ular affairs should have no re- will derive future advantage from lation to a future day. This the instructions they receive. In would produce general disorder, both these cases, the course pursu." or occasion a general stagnation ed may be reasonable and proper. in the concerns of life. The evil against which we have made important engage would caution our readers, is, a • ments which we ought to fulfil spirit of self confidence, a forgeton the morrow; it is therefore fulness of their entire dependence highly proper, that to-day, we upon God, which lead men to act as should make such arrangements tbough they were certain of toas to meet our obligations to-mor- morrow, and as though they were row. If we do not, our characters certain their plans would succeed, as men of truth, and as christiana, without any reference to the directwill suffer by our neglect. ing and controlling hand of divine The husbandman acts in re- Providence. Our caution is dilation to a future day, when he rected against the presumptuous purchases seed, breaks up his and worldly calculations of weak, ground, and covers the precious ignorant man, whose origin is the We may |
