PREFACE. ANOTHER Christmas greeting, and this time a right joyous one to our friends and readers. The dark clouds which have for so long a time gathered over our branch of CHRIST's Church Catholic, are now of His mercy being dispersed. There are more than streaks in the horizon that tell of the sun bursting forth at length. As the "Use of Sunshine" was appropriately written for a Christmas tale, so not less fittingly may we speak at this season of the shining of the sun in the Church; for was it not at Christmas-tide that the "day-spring" from on high arose, and visited those that were sitting in darkness? So let us hope that, even now, near unto the same sacred season, light has been sown for the righteous, and joy and gladness for the true-hearted. Our branch of the Church is more-much more-of a Church than she was thirty years ago, as was observed by that great Prelate who has more than all contributed to make her so, in one of the most remarkable and important speeches delivered in the Upper House of Convocation on the 17th instant. Yes, thank GOD! she is more like a Church; her Provincial Synod of Canterbury has sat, and deliberated, and acted. The proceedings of that Convocation are most deserving of attentive perusal and consideration, as they show, not only that there is work enough to be done, but that Convocation is the place for the consideration of doing it, and that the hands to which it is entrusted are competent to the task. The debates show where we must look for learning, eloquence, and Christian bearing. Writing so soon after this meeting, we cannot but congratulate our readers upon the signs of hope that we think are around us. Brave hearts, nerved by prayer, strengthened by the Eucharist; cool, deliberative heads, and wise caution-which is far different from timidity; quiet confidence in Gop; these are what the time demands: and with these we doubt not that, like the great warrior now at rest, we shall realize the truth of the motto, "Virtutis fortuna comes." (Success is the companion of courage.) We said, just now, that the Church has much work before her. That work is of many kinds, in which all the diversities of gifts committed to her may be exercised. One certainly not the least important kind-is the employment of the press, as a means of disseminating sound religious principles, and spreading abroad information touching the progress of the Church of CHRIST. In this work for six years we have borne our humble part. At a time when there was no periodical combining pleasant and sound reading for the middle and humbler classes, we made our appearance with mingled feelings of hope and fear. We knew that secular publications sell by thousands, whilst works treating distinctively and unequivocally of Church matters are circulated by units. To a certain extent we have succeeded; but much more can and should be done, and we appeal to our readers for their aid. If it be (as we feel it our pleasure) our work to endeavour to provide mental food for those classes to whom we have alluded, it is surely the duty of Churchmen to help to circulate such periodicals as are calculated to build up the children of the Church in the Church's truths. Every reader can at least get one |