PREFACE.

AT the close of this year, and of this Second Volume of the New Series, we tender our warmest thanks for the prompt and affectionate zeal which many Christian friends have displayed in our behalf, either in promoting the circulation of this Magazine, or in furnishing contributions to its pages.

We rejoice to find that the endeavours which have carefully been made, to improve the character of our Miscellany, and augment its claim to public esteem, have succeeded in gaining for us general approval.

This approval has been substantially expressed by the

largely increased sale of the Magazine.

The warm eulogiums we have received and the augmented circulation gratify us in no small measure, and cheer us onwards in renewed enterprises for the young. They encourage us to ask, without hesitation, the active co-operation of our friends. They can do much for us. They can make the Magazine known, commend it to their young acquaintances, and urge them to become subscribers.

Young people will read: there is no fear of their

mental inactivity.

be in their hands.

Some book or other will constantly

Shall it be a silly novel, to weaken

the powers of the mind and pervert the feelings? or, shall it be good, solid, inviting reading, which will naturally and kindly point a moral for the heart? Love

to souls, and love to society, will be at no loss to settle

the right alternative.

The power of the press is scarcely yet understood. It is the modern pulpit. From it sermons of extraordinary power are sometimes preached. We desire to preach some of these sermons. We shall succeed in doing it, if Christian writers, whose souls are on fire-" burning and shining lights "-make our pages the focus of their spiritual rays; and if other friends gather around us sufficient audience.

It would be no trifling contemplation, to picture our thousands of youthful readers assembled in one mighty gathering, listening through the eye to our printed appeals. We regard this as a solemn responsibility-the reaching so many youthful heartswe believe that we do reach their hearts-in various parts of the kingdom. We often feel very anxious

about this. We do not wish to repel our young readers by austerity and gloom. We do not desire to cater merely for their amusement. We earnestly seek to "allure to brighter worlds, and lead the way.' We want to be their monitor and their friend. And no other Magazine seeks to execute these aims precisely in the same manner as we are doing; we feel we stand alone in this field of Christian enterprise. This is why we confidently and urgently claim the sympathy and co-operation of all friends to the young.

Let there be new efforts with a new year.